


Priority

by Sweet_Freedom_Gal



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Ben Parker Being a Good Parent, Captain Goddamn America, Complete, Emma's Lady Liberty Sized Crush on Captain America, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Growing Up, Life Works Out, May Parker Being a Good Parent, OC centric, Older!Stark!Sister, POV Outsider, Parent Tony Stark, Parker Luck, Peter Parker Feels, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Peter Parker's Childhood, Peter Parker's Sister, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Sibling Bonding, Slice of Life, Stark!OC - Freeform, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Supportive May Parker (Spider-Man), Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, hard decisions, kind of, pretty canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-01-31 10:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21444688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweet_Freedom_Gal/pseuds/Sweet_Freedom_Gal
Summary: Some things take priority over all others, and for Emma, that priority has always been the safety and well-being of her little brother, Peter Benjamin Parker.It's a lot harder than she'd thought it be.Follow Emma Parker as she tries her best to keep her little brother, Peter Parker, safe.Yeah, it goes about as well as expected.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Original Female Character(s), Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark & Original Female Character(s), Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Reader, 
> 
> I'm currently working on the epilogue to this story, so I'll be posting pretty consistently. There's about ten or so chapters of pretty good size + the epilogue, so I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> \- Gal

It was three weeks after their parents’ funeral that May and Ben sat her down, while her little brother slept soundly down the hall. At least, she hoped he was. He’d been having nightmares as of late. 

“Emma,” her Uncle Ben began, “We know that you’re aware that Richard wasn’t biologically your father.” Any other ten year old girl most likely wouldn’t have been told so young that her daddy wasn’t her father, but Emma had never been like any other child. She knew by six. “We just wanted to ask if you want us to try and contact your biological-” 

“I’m not leaving Petey,” Emma said with conviction, intelligent brown eyes still so incredibly sad, yet they held that same stubborn gleam she’d had her whole life. Just a glimpse of the fire within. 

“We’re not asking you to,” Ben said calmly, raising a calloused hand to tuck a stray red curl behind her slightly too big ear. “We just wanted to ask. And if you change your mind, just let us know, okay M&M?” Emma’s lips quirk slightly at the nickname, before she nods her head, and they settle back to continue watching the TV show they’d began. 

“Emma?” they heard Peter call from his small bedroom a while later. “Emma?!” he said with more urgency, and Emma ran down the hallway on light feet, stopping in the doorway to her little brother’s bedroom, where he was sat up in bed, cheeks tear-stained, eyes panicked until they met Emma’s. “Emma!” he cried, opening his arms to her. 

The redhead doesn’t hesitate to crawl into bed to lay beside her little brother, allowing the five year old to bury his head in her shoulder as he clings to her waist. “Nightmare?” she whispers. Peter nods. 

“You l-left me, and, and you- you never came b-back,” he cries. ‘Just like Mommy and Daddy,’ goes unsaid. Emma’s resolve over not contacting her biological father hardened to steel as she gently carded her fingers through Peter’s brown curls. 

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise, Petey,” the ten year old whispered, and the five year old tucked into her side sniffed and nodded, reassured by his older sister’s promise, because Emma always kept her promises. Peter begins to relax, and soon enough he’s fast asleep. 

Meanwhile, tears slip down Emma’s temples as she’s left alone with her grief, staring up at the scattered sticky stars on Pete’s ceiling. Sometimes, it all just felt like a bad dream. That soon enough, Emma will wake up, back in the house she was supposed to grow up in, and her parents will be there to hold her as she cries- because the dream just _ felt so real. _

But no, they were gone forever. They- They were never coming back. 

Daddy would never bring her out to the movies, or bring her to the arcade, or give her a scratchy kiss on her forehead for reassurance when she was troubled. Mommy wouldn’t ever bring her shopping, or remind her to keep close in the big city, or visit her in her room to have girl talk, or- or ever hug her again. 

It’s that last thought that breaks her, and she sobs silently into her little brother’s hair, because life wasn’t fair, and she just wanted one more kiss to the forehead and one last hug goodbye, because the last one just wasn’t long enough to last her a whole life without them. 

But life goes on, even when your heart doesn’t. 

Emma may have been adamant on not contacting her biological father, but she still cared for him in a carefully distant way. This way he couldn’t hurt her- or so she thought. 

When she first hears that Tony Stark had gone missing in Afghanistan, presumed dead, she found out just how sharp the stab of regret is, mixed as it was with grief. She breaks down in the bathroom, burying her pale face in her hands, and she stays there ‘til the last bell rings. Uncle Ben is there, waiting at her bus stop, his kind eyes sympathetic. 

“I don’t know why it still  _ hurts _ ,” she whispers, voice bitter. “He doesn’t even know I exist, and I- I still  _ feel _ like I’ve lost so much more than a distant relative.” 

“Em, I can’t tell you what or why you’re feeling the way you are, but I think you know why it still hurts. No matter how much distance you keep between you and your biological father, a part of you will always wonder over what could’ve been if you’d reached out, because now…” 

“But I don’t want another father!” Angry tears burn in her eyes. “The only dad I’ve ever had is Richard Parker- and he- He was enough, Ben. He was the best dad, and I- I’m not going to replace him.” 

Ben sighs. “It’s… It’s okay to move on, Emma. Rich would understand. He loved you, and would hate to see you hurting yourself like this.” Emma’s lips pinch into a line. 

“It’s too late, anyway,” she murmurs. “He’s gone. They’re both gone” 

Except that one of them wasn't. 

Tony Stark comes home, and he closes his weapons division immediately. Then, not that much later, he stands at a podium, looks straight into the camera, and says, 

“I am Iron Man.” 

From that moment on, Petey’s obsessed with the billionaire, while his older sister stresses over contacting the hero. “He probably has so many kids trying to convince him that he’s their long lost father,” Emma decides. “He probably has people for this or something, to pay people off or whatever.” 

“But none of them are the daughter of Mary FitzPatrick, his girlfriend for half a decade, a close friend before that,” Ben points out as they drive to Emma’s high school, Midtown Science, to pick up whatever prize Emma had won for getting 1st place at their science fair, as a freshman, no less. 

“I don’t know… He’s a superhero… isn’t that dangerous?” 

Ben sighs. “M&M, it’s still your decision, remember?” 

“Right. Yeah, my decision… I don’t even know what I want from him.” 

“What about a relationship?” 

“I don’t think Tony Stark has time to be a father, Ben,” Emma sighs as they pull up to the school. “I just want to meet him once, with no strings attached, so that way  _ I know _ , I know, y’know?” 

“No, M&M, I really don’t.” 

The reward turns out to be three tickets to the Stark Expo. 

Ben takes them to the opening- and it’s  _ magical _ . 

Like a sci-fi themed daydream. 

Especially with Peter at her side, wearing his big Iron Man helmet, clinging to her hand as he babbles about everything they see. 

“Having fun, Petey-Pie?”

He nods eagerly, making his helmet rock like a bobblehead someone flicked. 

“Yeah!” he said, voice muffled. “This is awesome!” 

Ben leads them to side door after all the excitement, telling Emma, “I used to do this after concerts. Always go to the side stage door, that’s how you meet the stars.” 

Emma smiles and nods, holding Peter in front of her, as close as he can be to the action. There’s a burst of louder noise as the door opens, and Tony Stark waves, smiling at Peter in his helmet, barely glancing at Emma before he’s ushered along. 

And that’s how Tony Stark entered her life, and promptly walked right back out. Peter’s asleep in the back seat when Ben glances at her. “So?” 

She pinches her lips, before shaking her head. 

“Maybe when I’m eighteen and he can’t try and take me away,” Emma murmurs, looking at Peter through the rear view mirror. Ben sighs but nods 

“It’s your decision.” 

If the first time they went to the Expo was a daydream, the last time they went was a nightmare. 

Ben had let her and Peter go off on their own as he watched the Hammer presentation, promising to meet them at the booth they were heading towards when it ended, and that’s when the screaming started. 

She loses Peter in the chaos, and pushes frantically against the current of panicking crowds in an effort to find him. When Emma lays eyes on him, it’s as he’s turning to face a Hammer Drone, which begins to lock onto his helmet. 

Emma’s mind thinks 3 things in quick succession. 

One, The stupid drone is targeting her little brother because of the Iron Man helmet on his head. 

Two, Emma’s wearing a shirt with the Iron Man’s helmet on it’s back. 

And three, she will do  _ anything _ to protect Peter. 

She sprints towards her little brother, tackling him in a hug, tucking his head against her chest, and shielding him with her back to the Drone. There’s a blast from the wrong direction and no pain, and then Emma looks up, into the face of the real life Iron Man, and- 

“Good job, kid.” 

He’s gone. 

Emma stares up at the sky with wide brown eyes, before falling before her brother as her adrenaline wanes and her knees give out. She pulls off his helmet as tears stream freely down both their faces. 

“Don’t ever do that again,” she whispers, and Peter only nods before falling into the fifteen year old’s arms. Later, Emma sits with Peter in the backseat, and the two Parkers hold onto each other tightly as Ben reassures May over the phone that they’re fine- 

Really, they’re not. 

But they will be, eventually. 

May and Emma are out on one of the rare days May has off, heading towards a specific store that Emma needed to go to, as it was the only store that still held her mother’s favorite perfume that the sixteen year old had recently taken to wearing. 

“Oh shoot,” May says suddenly, and Emma quirks an eyebrow in question. “I left my phone. Let’s turn around-” They’re only a block away from the store. 

“May, why don’t I head down, and you can meet me there,” Emma says, and May sighs, and nods. 

“Alright. Be careful, I’ll see you in twenty minutes.” 

It would not be twenty minutes. 

Because five minutes later, a portal opens above Stark Tower. 

Emma’s kind of panicking, because nothing prepared her for this. No school drill covered what to do in case of alien invasion, and the redhead wishes they’d been a bit more proactive in their approach to what constitutes an emergency. 

She’s about to duck into a storefront after running for a while, when the front of it collapses in on itself, and she instead ducks into an alleyway, which works for awhile, until Emma suddenly finds herself cornered by four snarling aliens. She scrambles for a nearby metal pipe, preparing to fight for her life, when suddenly a patriotic, metal flying disk takes three aliens out, and when the fourth is distracted, Emma hits it’s hard shell with the pipe, and promptly ducks it’s weapon fire. 

Emma’s eyes fall onto the circular shield on the ground, and she grabs it, feels it’s weight, calculates the angle and force needed, then, with brown eyes flashing, she throws the shield from her position on the floor- which ricochets off the brick wall and into the creature's neck, decapitating it. 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Emma stares at the corpses surrounding her, when a red gloved hand enters her line of sight, and she looks up into the bluest eyes she ever seen, set in a handsome face covered in dirt and grit, framed with short golden blond hair. He looks very familiar for some reason. 

“Miss, come with me, I’ll get you to safety,” he says, and she grabs his hand, allowing the handsome man with the beautiful voice, who actually might be  _ Captain Goddamn America _ now that she thinks about it, to pull her to her feet, and her legs shake but they hold, which is good. It’s all good. He swipes up the shield and holds it in front of them as they exit the alleyway. 

“Thanks for letting me borrow your shield,” Emma says, in an almost conversational tone of voice, because that’s really all she can think about. She used Captain  _ Goddamn _ America’s shield to decapitate an alien. Holy shit. 

He sounds amused when he says, “No problem,” then impressed when he continues, “Not everyone gets the hang of it so fast,” as he leads her to an open storefront, still on guard. 

“Yeah, it’s tricky for sure. Good luck, Captain. Try not to get killed. That would really suck.” 

He looks down at Emma, and it seems to her the most electric moment of her life, before he smiles beautifully and nods at her. “I will, as long as you do the same.” 

“Easier said than done,” she says, before waving as she says, “Bye, Captain Rogers,” and then promptly sprints for cover. 

When she looks back from cover, he’s gone. 

And Emma is left with a crush the size of Lady Liberty. 

Also an epic story, and mild PTSD, but mostly the crush. 

The Christmas before Emma is to turn eighteen, Iron Man’s house blows up. 

It doesn’t just blow up, it falls into the fucking ocean. 

For the whole of the Holiday Break of her junior year of High School, she’s a mess, thinking that her father is dead. Peter is almost as distraught as she is over the matter, so when Christmas Day dawns with the news that Iron Man has defeated the true villain behind the Manderin, the two Parker children are able to finally enjoy their holiday, much to the relief of their guardians. But still, the image of it is ingrained into her mind. 

What if she had been over at her father’s house for Christmas, like any normal shared custody agreement would have her do? What if Peter had come along with her, and what if- 

The life of a superhero is dangerous, she knows this. And she’s known since that first day, when he declared his identity to the world- that the life of a superhero adjacent is one of grief and constant risk. Looking at Peter, who was playing with his new LEGO set, Emma knew that some things weren’t worth the risk, no matter how much she may want them. 

New Year’s Eve, Peter is fast asleep in his room, and May is working at the hospital. Ben and her sit in front of the TV, not really watching the coverage of the ball drop, because there’s something heavy hanging in the air. 

“I don’t think I’m going to try and contact my father,” Emma says, not looking at Ben, who turns to face her. His warm hand pats her back. 

“It’s your decision, M&M… Can I ask why?” Emma had prepared an answer. 

“He lives a dangerous life, and it affects all those that surround him. If I include myself in that sphere, Peter will no doubt join me, and he will be put into unnecessary danger. Danger that wouldn’t exist if I just… If I just decide that the life I have… Is enough.” 

Ben sighs and pulls Emma into a hug, and she goes willingly, tucking her head into his chest. “You… You are your parent’s daughter. You’ve got Rich’s responsibility, and you’ve got Mary’s selflessness.” 

“Thanks, Ben… Did I- Did I get anything from you?” 

It’s quiet for a long moment, before Ben holds her just a bit tighter. 

“... I think we’re both well aware that with great power, comes great responsibility. But M&M… I know in my heart that you’re better than all of us combined.” It’s quiet for a while as people celebrate the passing of another year on screen, sharing kisses and hugs and delight. Ben brushes a kiss to the top of Emma’s head. “I’m so proud of you, kid.” 

Emma blinks the tears in her eyes away, before squeezing them shut, because that’s all she’d longed to hear.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma begins to apply for colleges, and it’s the nerve wracking experience as everyone said it would be, so there’s that. 

There are a lot of places she could attend, but there’s only one place that she wants to go to. You see, MIT is in Cambridge, and that’s pretty far from Queens. Harvard is the same. She thinks academically, they’re great. But the thing is, Peter’s still in middle school, and soon enough he’ll be all grown up, and Emma can’t miss it. So there was really only one choice left. 

Columbia. 

So when she finds the packet from Columbia with their mail, Emma feels rightfully nauseous. “There’s no way you didn’t get in, you’re Valedictorian! They’d be crazy to reject you!” Peter assures her, even as he bounces with nervous energy. 

“Right, they’d be crazy to reject me,” Emma parrots, but she can’t stop just staring at the packet, because as long as she doesn’t open it, she can stay in New York City with her little brother. 

“Emma!” The redhead blinks and shakes herself mentally before carefully opening the packet, which is topped with an acceptance letter, and an offer of a full ride- which means- “You got in!” Peter squeals, tackling his older sister in a hug as she stares down at the letter in her hand. 

“I got in,” she says dumbly, before her face splits into a grin and she hugs her brother tight, and they jump up and down together. “I got in! I got in! I GOT IN!” They yell and dance around the living room, but then get tired and collapse on the couch to look back through the large packet from Columbia. 

They call Ben at work when he’s on break, and Emma can’t keep the grin out of her voice. “Guess what just came in the mail?” 

“What?” Ben humors them. 

“My acceptance letter to  _ COLUMBIA _ !” 

Peter helps her finish with an excited echo of “Freakin’ Columbia!” 

“That’s my girl!” Ben cheers, hooting. “Did you hear that Bill? My niece just got into Columbia!” 

There’s another voice, clearly a bit away from the phone, but still considerably loud, saying, “WHAT?! That’s amazing! Tell her congrats!” 

“Congrats from Bill and me, M&M! Now call May before she gets off her break! We’re going out tonight to celebrate!” 

They do, and May is equally as ecstatic, “Yay! I’m so proud of you! We’re going out tonight- Ben already said? Well, I’m sayin’ it, too! This is cause for celebration, baby! I gotta go, I love you both!” 

“Bye, May!” they chorus before hanging up, looking at each other with wide, identical grins- though Emma’s was a bit more manic. “Wanna watch Star Wars?” they ask each other at the same time, before laughing. 

“Great minds think alike!” Emma ruffles her brother’s hair, and they collapse into each other. 

“Ned’s going to freak. He’s been so worried you’ll go off to college and forget about him.” The redhead huffs a laugh at the thought of being hung up on a kid Peter’s age. “I told him you’re hung up on Captain America, but he wouldn’t listen! He insists you’re soulmates, and I’m like- Dude, she’s in love with Captain America. I doubt you’re her type. And he said-” 

“Pete, I love you, but please be quiet. The opening is the best part.” 

“Sorry! I’ll be quiet- but I hope you hold out for Captain America.” Emma rolls her eyes. 

“I doubt Captain America would date me, even if we did miraculously meet again.” 

“What if you worked at Stark Tower, and met Tony Stark, and then he introduces you to the team, and you and Captain America meet eyes, and he realizes he recognizes you- you’re the girl that used his shield during New York, and he’s been pining-” 

“You watch too many rom-coms, Petey-Pie,” Emma laughs. “And I’ve had a few boyfriends. I doubt Steve Rogers is waiting for me.” 

“But what if he doesn’t know he is, but he is, y’know?” Emma sighs, picking up the remote and restarting the flick. 

“I’ll get the tape, Pete.” 

The brunet closes his mouth. 

“But what if-” 

“ _ Oh my god _ !” 

“Fine, fine! I’ll shut up now.” 

It’s later that night, when they’re sitting outside Delmar’s, all four of them eating their sandwiches with grins on their faces that Ben speaks to Peter. “Did you tell Ned yet that his lady crush is staying in the city?” Peter laughs and nods. 

“He squealed, he was so happy.” Emma rolls her eyes as May nudges her shoulder. 

“Must be nice to have so many admirers,” she teases, and Emma rolls her eyes, and Peter and Ben stare. 

“Who else has been admiring my little girl?” Ben asks, voice pitched purposefully light. May and Emma both roll their eyes as Peter speaks up. 

“Yeah. Who else? I only gave my approval to two guys. Ned, and Captain America.” 

“When did you give your approval to Captain America?” 

“It’s a standing approval, should it ever come up and I’m not there to give my explicit approval.” Emma huffs. 

“Captain America is way out of my league. Anyway, it was just this guy when I was touring the campus that hit on me. He was blind, so he didn’t see that I was younger, or with May. He just said I’ve got a beautiful voice,” she turns pink. “I said ‘Thank you’ and that was that.” 

“What’s his name?” 

“I don’t know,” Emma lies, and Ben gives her a look. “It’s Matt. He was nice. That was all. God, this is exactly why I don’t do boyfriends. You guys are just so-” 

“Lovingly protective of their beautiful female family member because men are pigs?” Peter asks, all in one breath, and Emma shakes her head. 

“No. You guys are concerned, I get that, but really, it was one compliment and barely any conversation. He was just impressed that I got in.” She doesn’t mention she got his number. 

“So another guy underestimated your brilliance?!” Peter asks, outraged. “God, I hate men! You’re a genius! Even a blind man could- Wait. Sorry. You sound smart, too, is what I meant to say. You exude excellence.” 

Emma pulls her brother into her side, ruffling his hair. “Thanks, Pete. I’ll be fine, though. I’m a big girl.” 

“You are five foot three, and weigh about 110 pounds soaking wet. You are the definition of petite.” 

“I’ve got some curves,” Emma argues, because she does have a bit of an hourglass going on, even bite sized as she is. 

“You do have curves,” May assures, “They just want to believe you’re still a little girl and not a young woman who can do whatever she wants as long as she  _ stays safe _ .” 

“I’m always safe.” 

“Ew!” Peter exclaimed, getting the underlying meaning to May’s words and Emma’s reply, “Veto!  _ Veto _ ! Next topic, please!” The adults laugh and change the subject. 

Over the summer, Captain America saves the free world, which Emma lives in, so she’s very grateful, you understand. He’s just… amazing, y’know? But with fall right around the corner, Emma is determined to force herself out of this freakin’ crush. She’s moved onto a college campus, and there are plenty of guys willing to help her get over her crush, including Matt, but then… 

Okay, it happens like this. 

It’s late September, she’s newly nineteen and is leaving a bar in Brooklyn after sending her drunk friend back to campus in a taxi so Emma can drive right home for the weekend. It’s two blocks down when she realizes that someone is following her. Tasers are technically illegal in New York City, but that didn’t stop Ben from getting her one, and didn’t stop her from suping it up so it could hold more than the usual amount of charges. 

Emma takes in steady breathes as she reaches into her bag, acting as if she’s looking for her car keys, when in fact she’s reaching for her taser, so when she’s pushed into an alley, up against the wall, she doesn’t hesitate to stick the taser to the drunk creep’s side, and watches him drop with a satisfied glint in her eye. She kicks him for good measure and is getting out her phone to call the cops when she notices someone tall standing at the end of the alley. 

She buzzes her taser and the tall guy with the baseball cap raises his hands. 

“I was just- I saw him following you,” the man explains, and Emma narrows her brown eyes at the man, who seems sort of familiar, but the redhead is also not dumb enough to drop her taser. 

“Right. Likely story.” She calls the police and leaves an anonymous tip about a creeper in an alley. When she ends the call, tall guy is still there. 

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” the guy asks, and Emma quirks a brow. 

“I can’t really see much of your face, Mr. Shadows.” 

“Oh right, sorry.” He takes off his hat, and the streetlight hits his face. His very recognizable, patriotic face. 

“Oh, it’s you.” 

Emma steps over the guy and out of the alley, Mr. America beside her. “So, have we met?” 

“I used your shield during New York,” Emma says, feeling a little like she’s dreaming. 

“Oh! Yes, I remember you. That still impresses me, I think about it sometimes. You just grabbed it, less than a second later, you threw it with perfect accuracy,” the Captain enthuses, and Emma’s lips spread into a slight smile. ‘ _ Am I dreaming _ ?’ she wondered. 

“Thanks. It was actually pretty easy, I was surprised. I just mentally calculated the force and angle, also accounting for all I know about vibranium, which wasn’t a lot at the time, but yeah.” She swallows and looks up to see Steve looking down at her, amused. “Wanna walk me to my car? I’m still a little jumpy. I’m Emma Parker by the way.” 

“Emma,” the Captain murmurs, and Emma feels her cheeks pink, “I’m Steve Rogers, though I guess you knew that. And of course I can walk you to your car.” Steve falls into step beside her. “You must be pretty smart,” he says conversationally, and Emma’s lips pull into a proud smile. 

“I’m at Columbia right now, got a full ride,” she offers, and Steve looks at her with surprise. 

“Wow. So, you’re from New York, right?” She nods. “What neighborhood?”

“Queens.” 

“Ah. Brooklyn, born and raised,” he says, and Emma laughs. 

“Oh, I know. We learned about you in history class.” Steve smirks. 

“Really? What are they teaching you kids nowadays?” Emma laughs, smacking his arm lightly. 

“Oh, nothing I don’t know already. I’m something of a genius,” she teases. “And y’know, ever since I threw that shield, I’m thinking you are, too.” The blond looks intrigued. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, you clearly have to make rapid fire calculations in the heat of the battle, which is hard enough, but you also have to know exactly at what angle and how much force is needed to get it to ricashet the way you intend it to.” 

“Y’know, not a lot of people realize that,” Steve says after a moment, “You really are brilliant.” Emma beams as she stops in front of her hand me down car. 

“This is me.” 

“Right,” Steve looks a bit disappointed, glancing down at his feet, hands in his jacket pockets, before he looks up. “Would it be okay if I gave you my number? We can get coffee sometime, and talk.” Emma is frozen with shock. Steve starts to backtrack. “I’m sorry, you’ve had a weird night, I sh-”

“I’d love to go get coffee with you,” Emma smiles in a slightly bashful manner, and Steve swallows, nodding. The redhead takes out her phone, putting her taser away. “Here, and if you give me yours, I can give you my number.” He hands his new Stark Phone over, and Emma admires the sleek design as she puts in her contact information, sending herself a text, while Steve is still looking at my phone that says, ‘How about tomorrow at 1?’ 

He reads it and smiles. “Got anywhere in mind?” 

“Yeah, I’ll text you the address when I get home. My little brother might be waiting up, so I should get going. It was nice to see you again, Steve.” Was it just her, or were the captain’s cheeks slightly pink? 

“It was nice to see you as well. I’m glad we both kept our word and stayed safe.” 

“Me, too. Goodnight, Captain Rogers.” 

“Goodnight, Miss Parker.” 

When Emma enters the apartment, it’s to see Peter asleep on the couch, clearly having attempted to wait up for his big sister. The redhead gazes at him fondly for a moment, before grabbing a blanket and covering him. She showers off her busy night and when she enters her bedroom, it’s to see her little brother asleep on her bed. She sighs and walks up to him, nudging him to roll over. “Scoot, Pete.” 

He grumbles and shuffles to the other side of her bed, before looking up at her with bleary eyes. “Why were you so late?” His eyes were falling shut by the end of his question, and Emma brushes his curls off his forehead. 

“Oh, you know Megan…” 

“I’ve never met her.” Emma chuckles. 

“Time just got away from us, that’s all,” she assures her little brother, ignoring the guilt bubbling within her. 

The cafe is a little out of the way place with booths that give more privacy than other modern, airy cafes. They’ve got shelves of books lining the back wall, large tables available for study sessions, smaller ones for more intimate affairs, and great fuckin’ coffee. 

They’d just ordered, and Steve had insisted on paying, which Emma was okay with, since she’s kind of a broke college student. 

“I forgot to ask last night, what are you majoring in?” 

“Mechanical engineering and computer science,” Emma answers easily as she fixes up her coffee with two sugars and a dash of cream. 

“Double majoring?” 

“Yeah, it’s going to be easier than doing them one at a time, though it sucks I can’t go home as much as I want.” 

“Right, Queens. You mentioned your little brother?” Emma’s face lights up. 

“Yeah, my little brother, Peter. He’s adorkable. He’d probably get a kick out of this whole situation. He loves himself some rom-coms, and this is the sort of thing they make movies and write books about.” Steve grins, his voice lowering. 

“A beautiful girl and a hero meet, and are forced apart in an untimely manner, only to find each other years down the line, in a similar situation, but at a better time.” 

Emma continues the narrative, “And the whole time they’re apart, the girl has a huge crush on the hero, which her brother, aunt, and uncle all make fun of her for. She had just become determined to get over that crush, when they meet again.” 

Steve smiles and reaches over to place a hand over hers. “That’s… really lucky on my part, that I got to you before some other punk came along and caught your eye.” Emma laughs, brown eyes sparkling in a way that made Steve’s heart jump, just the way it did when she took down that Chitauri with his shield, and also the way she buzzed her taser at him threateningly after taking down a guy literally twice her size… God, this woman. 

Later that day, after they make plans for dinner later that week and Emma kisses his cheek goodbye, Steve finds himself smiling all the way home, thinking about how amazing Emma Parker is. She’s beautiful. She’s smart. And goddamn, she’s got heart. 

Just watching the way she talks about her little brother makes Steve feel very fond feelings for the young woman. 

He was twenty three when they met, fresh out of the ice, fighting aliens in the modern streets of New York City, when he sees a group of aliens surrounding an alleyway. Steve ran towards them as he assessed the situation, threw the shield from a distance, helpless to watch the young woman hit the alien with a pipe, before ducking it’s returning fire, and before he could jump in and grab his shield, she snagged it, held it for barely a moment, and with a determined, dangerous glint in her deep brown eyes, she threw it at the brick wall, where it bounced off and decapitated the Chitauri soldier. 

To say he’d been impressed had been putting it lightly. 

He’d been in fuckin’ awe, but decided to play it cool, get the girl to safety. 

Steve’s thought of her in passing a few times, but hadn’t really focused on her until last night, when he saw some creep begin to stalk a young woman with red hair. She’d began to rifle through her bag, and the creep took his chance, and Steve began to run, before stopping in the mouth of the alley, watching her kick the downed drunk, and then she’d  _ buzzed the taser at him _ . 

‘Now that’s a woman,’ he’d thought, and then realized she seemed familiar somehow. It wasn’t even the red hair that might’ve reminded him of Nat, it was that spark in her eyes. 

That fire. 

They’ve been dating officially for almost three months when Steve goes on an admittedly dangerous mission over her winter break, with only a text as notice, which left Emma to wait anxiously for him to text her that he got home safe and mostly unscathed. 

He goes on sudden missions like this at least twice a month, but it never got any easier, waiting for that message of assurance. Because what if this is the time that it never comes? 

May, Ben, and Peter are clearly concerned for her, walking on eggshells, because the last time she was like this- Tony Stark’s house had just fallen into the ocean. Emma’s forced to recall the promise she made to herself just a few winters ago, when she swore she’d never associate with her father, because of the danger that being associated with the hero put her loved ones in. 

That’s why she hadn’t introduced Steve to her family yet, and she knew he was getting a bit anxious about it, wondering whether she was truly committed to him if she didn’t want him to meet the most important people in her life. He’s told her all his doubts, and she still can’t make the moves that would assure him. Because she’s conflicted. 

Emma just doesn’t know what to do. 

When Ben finds her crying in relief at Steve’s text on New Year’s Eve, she blurts out everything. How she’s been holding back in their relationship because she’s not sure she can handle the risk that comes with being someone he loves, and how she’s falling for him in spite of that, because he’s perfect. He’s everything she could want. 

It’s just like the situation with her biological father- but so very different at the same time, because she cares for Steve, she really does, and she’s never known Tony Stark, she already has a dad- but she’s never been in love before. Not like this. 

And she’s terrified. 

Ben holds her for a long time, long enough for her to calm herself down as he strokes through her dark red curls, a silent, nonjudgmental comfort. Like always, he waits for her to make her own decision. 

She slowly comes to a conclusion she doesn’t like, but it’s the only thing she can do, without risking hurting them both further. 

“Hey sweetheart,” Steve greets her with a kiss on the cheek at their table in that little cafe from their first date. It’s an early Saturday morning, and it’s still so cold outside, but the cafe is warm- which doesn’t explain why Emma’s still wearing her jacket. The redhead smiles slightly, before Steve goes up to get his drink. When he comes back, Emma is staring hard at her hands, her eyes missing their usual glint. “You okay, Doll?” he asks, concerned. 

When she looks up, his heart plummets at the gleam of tears in her eyes. Her voice is even and measured yet still slightly strained as she says, “I think we should stop seeing each other.” 

It’s silent as Steve stares at the redhead in shock. 

“Can I ask why?” His voice is choked, and she looks down at the hands he longs to reach out for, when she speaks, her voice is low, and he leans forward to hear it, but almost wishes he hadn’t. 

“You live a dangerous life, Steve.” Her eyes flicker to the healing wound on his cheekbone, then back to her hands. “You have enemies who would do anything to hurt you, and… If it were just me, I wouldn’t hesitate to jump in head first with you, but… I’ve got some things I just can’t risk losing.” 

“Peter.” 

She nods, sniffing as Steve’s heart feels torn in two. “I understand,” Steve says quietly. Because he does. Some things are worth prioritizing, and if there’s one thing that he knows about Emma Parker, it’s that she’ll always put her little brother first. As much as he admires that about her, it still destroys him to know that this is the end of them. 

“I’m so sorry, Steve,” she whispers, “I’ve been wasting your time-” 

“Hey, hey, no. Doll, I’d rather have three wonderful months with you than no time at all.” And it’s true. He’d rather have loved and lost than never have loved at all-  _ Oh god _ . 

He loves her. 

“Goodbye, Steve.” 

She stands and presses a lingering kiss to his cheek, before the woman he loves is gone. Steve sits there for a long time, long enough for his coffee to turn cold and for the lunch time rush to begin. He knows he can’t come back to this cafe, the memories here are just too beautiful. Too painful. He gets up and he goes home. 

The search for Bucky had been fruitless, all the trails having long been cold, so Steve had come home to Brooklyn, where he’s rencountered Emma that fateful meeting. Maybe it was time that he begins to look for his best friend again. And when he couldn’t bury himself in that, he’d go back to Avengers’ Tower, and he’d force himself to let Emma Parker go. 

Though he honestly knew he’d never truly get over what could’ve been. His heart, once it loved… It never stopped. 

Steve just hopes that she’s happy, wherever life leads her. 

Ben’s the only one who knew about her and Steve, so Peter still teased her about being the future Mrs. America, but the jokes stopped almost immediately after the first time since their break up, when she had to walk out of the room to shed a few tears and gather herself up again. 

Emma thinks about calling him a lot over that summer, and then Sokovia happens, and she almost does it, just to check in. Just to make sure. Then she sees him on the news, and he’s somber, standing next to the Widow, but he’s alive. And she’s so relieved that she surprises herself by picking up her phone, and stares at his contact. 

She’s still contemplating the call button next to his name, when her phone lights up with a number saved as ‘SI Recruiter.’ Emma’s heart jumps in her chest as she hurriedly answers it. She’d applied for an entry level internship position in their R&D department, and she’d been distracting herself so she wouldn’t fret over whether she got the position or not. Well… 

She got it. 

Emma squeals to herself when she hangs up and immediately calls Ben to tell him the good news. “Ben! I got the internship!” 

“That’s my girl! We’re going out tonight- my treat.” 

Emma’s grinning so hard her cheeks hurt. She’s newly twenty and it seems her life is well on its way. One bad thing about the internship- it’s going to take up almost all of her spare time. With the holidays coming up, working is going to suck, and she’ll miss some of the festivities, but she’s got Christmas Eve to New Years Day off, so it’ll be fine. Just this year, and next year, she’ll (hopefully) be in a better position to get those key days off. 

It’s January when Emma’s once again contemplating Steve’s contact, when her face lights up with May’s smiling face. It’s pretty late, but sometimes May calls for some girl talk, so she doesn’t think twice before answering. 

“Hey May, I-” May sobs. It’s agonized, and broken, and Emma’s blood goes cold. “May? May- what happened?” 

_ ‘Please no, please no, please no, please please, no-’  _

“It’s Ben.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

Emma doesn’t know what to do with herself for the time it takes to arrange a funeral and write a eulogy. And once her uncle is buried next to their parents, she does the only thing she can- and she keeps going. 

She’s Peter and May’s pillar of strength, and maybe that isn’t fair to her, because she’s hurting as well, but it makes her feel useful in the face of the hopeless helplessness that threatens to take over her whole being. 

It’s their parents all over again, except Peter understands now. 

She wishes he didn’t. 

She wishes he hadn’t been there to witness it. 

She wishes she had hugged her uncle just a little bit tighter, just a moment longer. 

She wishes she could tell him she loves him, just one more time. 

Emma wishes for a lot of things. 

Peter’s a vigilante. 

How does she know? 

She’d gone home during the day to look at something she’d stored in the attic crawl place in Peter’s room, when she found his- uniform. Red and blue, with a spider painted on the front and back, with chunky looking bracelets and swimming goggles. 

Emma’s aware of Queens’ local vigilante, and she nearly has a heart attack thinking back to that video she saw of him stopping a speeding, out of control car with his bare hands. 

He clearly has powers, but how? When?

Then her mind flashes to the day of Ben’s funeral, when Pete told her it was his fault… Of course she knew it wasn’t, but he clearly hadn’t believed a word she had said, if he’s out there risking his life for no good- Wait. Oh fuck. 

“ _ With great power, comes great responsibility _ ,” Ben’s voice echoes inside her mind, and she suddenly has to sit down. It was Ben’s go to quote. It had been Dad’s too. Something inside her feels both overwhelmed with emotion and completely hollowed out with resignation, and it nearly breaks her when she confronts him about his new extracurricular later that day. 

“You need a better hiding spot,” Emma tells her little brother when he enters the apartment. He gapes at the bundle of vigilante related evidence in her lap. 

“Wh- How?” 

“Don’t put it in a place where someone you don’t want to know stores something obscure. I was looking for my old textbooks when I found this. Now, why the _ hell _ are you swinging around in sweatpants and goggles?” 

The pained look on his face answers her question before he does. 

“Ben,” he says simply, and Emma lowers her face into her hands. “I got my powers, and- and- then Ben… And I knew I couldn’t just stand aside while people suffered when I can do something about it.” Emma doesn’t move. Peter continues, and she wishes he wouldn’t. 

“Em, I have the ability to help- and I ignored it before because after the Expo I didn’t want to hurt you by risking my life when you almost sacrificed yours for mine- but then Ben…” His impassioned voice lowers. “He died, and I realized that- That _ I have to do this _ .” His voice is even quieter yet more determined as he repeats, “I have to.” 

Emma’s shoulders shake as she begins to cry, and Peter pulls her into a hug with surprisingly strong arms. ‘ _ You don’t have to do anything _ ,’ she wants to argue, but the words won’t come out. She holds him tightly for a moment, before pulling back to cup his face in her hands. God, when did he get so grown up?

“Peter, I…” She swallows, because she knows she can’t stop him. She knows what she says next will either make him or break him. What would she need to hear at this moment, if she were Peter? What would Ben say? “I’m- I’m so proud of you.” 

Peter smiles as tears drip down onto his cheeks. Emma wipes them away with shaky fingertips. “Thank you, Emma. For everything.” 

“But we’re setting some ground rules,” Emma says, and Peter nods. 

“Anything.” 

Emma sighs and smiles slightly at her little brother, brushing his hair off his brow. She decides to take a page from Ben’s book and let him make his own decisions, even though it kills her a little, letting Peter dive into danger. “I guess I… I can’t shield you forever. Even if I want to protect you from the world… It’s your choice, in the end, what you do with your life.” 

“I love you so much, Em,” he says, pulling Emma into a tighter hug. Emma holds onto her brother just as tight. 

“I love you, too, Petey-Pie.” It’s quiet for a little while, before Emma sighs, closing her eyes briefly, gathering strength, before murmuring, “I guess since we’re coming clean, there are some things you should know.” Peter pulls back, an intrigued look on his face. 

“My biological father is Tony Stark. I didn’t contact him because I didn’t want him to take me away from you, even temporarily. By the time I was old enough to make my own decisions, his house had just been blown up, and I knew that any association with him would just be asking for someone to target my family. Secondly-

“Last year I dated Captain America for nearly three months, and I… I broke up with him for the same reason I didn’t contact Tony Stark. I couldn’t risk my family coming under the mercy of his worst enemies. It’s different with Steve, since I actually knew him, and cared for him, maybe even loved him. Okay, I did- I do love him. But I couldn’t commit, knowing that I wasn’t completely okay with him being who he was. So we- we’re… Not even speaking anymore.” 

Tears slide down Emma’s cheeks. 

“So call him! Get your man! I’ve got superpowers, I can protect myself-”

“Peter,” Emma’s pained voice makes him freeze. Her face is agonized, but determined. “Nothing’s changed. May is still vulnerable. You’ve got a secret identity to protect as well… We can’t have anyone looking closer at you, beyond you just being a smart kid.” 

Peter sighs but nods. “So, did Ben know, about all that?” Emma nods. 

“He was the only one. May knows about Tony Stark, but I didn’t tell her about Steve, so keep your mouth shut, please. I really don’t want to have to explain that again.” He nods. 

“Sure, sure… Can you take a look at my web-shooters? I’m no mechanical engineer, and I think having Iron Man’s daughter is about how close I’ll get to him.” Emma rolls her eyes but nods. 

“Come with me back to school and we’ll go to an actual lab I have access to.” Peter’s eyes light up. “We’ll give you a bit of an upgrade.” 

It’s a few months later, and Emma’s started as an intern at Stark Tower, while the Sokovia Accords are making the superhero scene heat up. “Daredevil said they’re unlawful, and I think I agree with him, because he’s pretty smart, and-” 

“Pete, I’ve got work in the morning, and it’s currently one AM, can I call you tomorrow after you get out of school?” 

“Oh, yeah, sorry! Talk to you tomorrow, love you!” 

“I love you, too, now get some sleep.” 

The next day, Emma calls him when he’s on his way home, and he chats with her while he sifts through some trash, cheering when he finds a perfectly good DVD player. “Bring it to the lab when I pick you up tonight- my professor mentioned something I’m dying to try,” Emma tells him. “I’ll take to you later, my breaks nearly over-” 

“Woah- Em, there’s this crazy car parked right in front of our building!” 

“Keep an eye out- make sure it doesn’t get-” 

“Yeah, I know, I know. I’ll see you tonight, then?” 

“You bet. Love you lots, Pete!”

“Yeah, LOL to you, too,” he laughs, hanging up. 

Emma rolls her eyes and gets back to work, smiling at her few fellow interns in the huge R&D department located in Stark Tower. They’re always super busy, given there’s only a few of them, so they’re all aware of how precious free time is, so for Emma to spend it talking to her little brother- it says a lot. 

Peter Parker could totally be justified in freaking out a little when he sees Tony Stark in his living room, chatting with his aunt, who’s giving him looks when the billionaire's not also giving him looks. Emma doesn’t live here anymore, so… Why is he here? 

Well, apparently he’d figured out Peter’s secret. 

Thankfully not Emma’s. Either of her secrets, particularly her past relationship with Steve Rogers, because he learns that Captain America is on the wrong side of the law. Whether that law is just is up for debate, but he needs to be brought in, so Peter is apparently going to Germany. 

Before he lost service he sent off a quick text to his sister, assuring her that he’s fine and that he’ll explain when he gets back, but he’s gonna be out of reach for a few days. 

Interacting with the frickin’ Avengers is-  _ amazing _ . Especially Captain Goddamn America, who his sister is still in love with, and who’s he heard a few stories about, and he seems like a great guy- especially since he treated Peter’s sister so well. So he kind of feels bad for trying to catch the guy, and maybe doesn’t try all that hard. 

He still tries, because this is practically a try out for the big leagues of the superhero world, but still. 

Anyway, Emma may still be loved in return, because of this specific interaction: 

“Where you from, kid?” 

“Queens.” 

And then Captain Rogers face turned briefly pained, blink and you missed it type of look, before he responded, slightly choked to Peter’s enhanced hearing, “Brooklyn.” And then he’s gone, and Peter wants to continue talking to him, tell him that Emma misses him, and that she loves him, and a whole lot of other stuff. 

Peter kind of got Emma’s point when she said that the people surrounding these guys got pulled into some weird stuff, and almost always caught in the crossfire. Like Colonel James Rhodes, when he got hit by the Vision, and he fell… If something like that had happened to Peter, there’d be hell to pay from Emma. 

And she’s pretty scary when she’s angry. 

She’s never angry, so when she is-  _ ooh boy _ . You’re in trouble. 

Which is why it’s completely justified that when he walks into his room to see his sister sitting on his bed, arms crossed tightly over her chest, brown eyes ablaze, he flinches. Her face softens slightly and she pats the bed next to her, and her eyes case his face, lingering on his already mostly healed black eye from her ex. 

Which sounded more incriminating than it actually was. 

But Holy Shit-  _ Captain Goddamn America _ hit him with his shield! 

“Well?” she asks, and Peter jumps right into a long, rambling explanation, that his very patient sister listens to in whole. “Jesus,” she sighs, shaking her head. “You’ve met my father before me, and I actually work for him. Anyway- how was Steve?” 

“Oh y’know, dropped an airport thing on me, but I caught it, and I think he knew I could catch it because I kind of was able to restrain him when he was really trying, so it makes sense-” Then he tells her about Steve’s reaction to him saying he’s from Queens, and Emma’s face is- 

Heartbroken and fond at the same time, and it… It hurts him to see. 

Emma should never be heartbroken, but it seems like the world didn’t get the memo. Peter feels sort of responsible for all the times she held back from the people she has connections with because of their threat to his safety. 

The romantic in him says that she should fight for love, but at the same time, he’s kind of glad she didn’t. Because if she went to Tony Stark when their parents died, he’d have been honestly pretty messed up from being abandoned again. But she stayed. And with Captain America, what if she stayed with him and got hurt because of his outlaw status- or what if she had decided to go on the run with him? 

Yes, she picked the safe route, but she did it for him, and Peter’s so incredibly thankful. 

Which is why he feels like the biggest asshole ever for all the crap that he put her through going up to homecoming, including stressing her the hell out with his disappearing acts, which- okay, not his best work. 

She was super busy, and he may have accidentally on purpose used that against her so he could do some riskier/stupider things. When Ned found out about his secret, he considered asking Emma if he could tell Ned about her, but then Ned was just- not cool about his frickin’ secret identity, and so he made the executive decision not to bring it up. 

Even when Ned was basking in Emma’s presence, and he really wanted to tell his best friend to let her go, dude, because she’s in  _ love-love _ with Captain Goddamn America, who loves her back (maybe) (...probably) (...hopefully). 

After he gets his suit taken away, he calls Emma and he apologizes for everything, including taking her away from her true love and trying to be seen in her biological father’s eyes as good enough, even when Emma has always been right there, telling him he is. That he’s so worth all the unnecessary pain he causes her. 

But he’s really not. 

She, of course, accepts his apology and makes her way home, and holds him and assures him that everything will be fine. That he needs to focus on his civilian life before he can jump back into the fray, and that she’ll help him make another suit, and though it won’t be as grade-A as Stark tech, it’ll still kind of technically be Stark Tech- just with a few layers of Parker over it. 

So he gets everything figured out, even asks Liz to Homecoming, which Emma insisted was a huge accomplishment, and he’s a better friend to Ned, a better nephew to May, a better sibling to Em, and then… 

He finds out who the Vulture is. The worst part is… The Vulture knows who he is, too, which puts his family in danger, which is exactly what Emma suffered so long to prevent. 

_ Fuck.  _

Then he gets crushed by a building, and then he crashes a plane, and then he fights, and fights hard, and he saves Toomes’ life, before leaving a note for Happy, who had found him annoying and never listened to him, and it was Emma who had been there since the beginning, insisting that being the everyday, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was just as important as being an Avenger. 

In the end, both jobs are about helping people. 

About using the power you have to help the powerless. 

And now, Peter actually believes her. 

So when Tony Stark asks him to be an Avenger, Peter knows his answer, and he feels it in his heart when he says no. That he’ll be staying on the ground, and helping out the little guy. 

And then he turns, and he leaves. 

Then May finds out he’s Spider-Man, which only Emma could talk her down from her freak out- which was kind of freaking Peter out, but like always- Emma is their pillar of strength, and in the end they all sit around and Emma finally fesses up about dating Steve Rogers. 

May really isn’t all that surprised. 

“You were so happy and stressed at the same time, and Ben knew what was going on, so I didn’t press. When you reacted that way to a Mrs. America joke, I had a suspicion.” She sighs and runs her fingers through Emma’s red curls. “I’m sorry you had to break up, sweetheart. I wish things were different.” 

Emma’s eye shine, and Peter’s heart breaks for her when she says, “Me, too.” 

Emma goes back to work at her internship while juggling school, but thankfully doesn’t have to support Spider-Man alone anymore, since he’s now got both Ned and May on his side. Things are pretty normal for a while, until she gets a request from the higher ups to come to a meeting room and explain one of the projects she helped work on, since the head of the project was busy. 

Not an odd request of the interns, so she straightens her appearance and heads to the conference room, and she notes that the walls of it are fogged, instead of the usual glass for meeting of the non-sensitive sort, but she just shrugs and walks into the large room- which holds one person. 

Tony Stark. 

He’s sitting casually, but he’s studying her with a critical gaze she was familiar with, because it’s the same look she gives herself in the mirror before meetings like this, where she needs to be at her best. Keep a cool head. “Mr. Stark,” she greets and only hesitates a second before walking over to sit across from him, determined not to show how uncomfortable this one on one setting makes her. 

“Miss Parker,” he nods back at her, before he tilts his head. “Y’know, I didn’t see it in Peter at first, but now that I see you, you both look remarkably like your mother. I think you know this, but we were a couple for about five years in the nineties, before she abruptly broke up with me after a fight about commitment that I thought came out of nowhere.” 

Emma only looks at him with her head tilted slightly in curiosity. 

“It’s very eerie, seeing your eyes in person,” Stark murmurs, and Emma, knowing where this conversation is going, responds. 

“Everyone says I have my father’s eyes.” Stark flinches. “Was there something you wanted, sir?” 

“I just have a few questions, Miss Parker…” He taps on his tablet, and a hologram pops up, and it’s a security photo of her and Steve. Tony watches her expression sadden and sort of feels terrible, but he’s got to know. “Did this man know of your father’s identity?” 

“No,” she answers honestly. “I didn’t think it relevant to our relationship, given that I’d never met my biological father. I consider Richard Parker to be my father, and though the man in that photo is aware that he isn’t my biological father, he never pressed me for the identity of who makes up the other half of my DNA.” 

“Right.” Tony is very relieved, and tries not to let it show. “Is this you?” It’s the Expo, when Emma looked up at the Iron Man mask, the downed Hammer Drone smoking in the background, Peter tucked into her chest. 

“Yes. I think it’s very clearly me. Is there a point to this?” 

Tony stares at Emma, who stares back with the same eyes. “I think you know why I brought you here, Miss Parker.” 

“My brother?” 

“What? No- well, kind of… I didn’t realize until too late that I hadn’t bothered to know everything about my protege, and then I found his sister’s file, who he forgot to mention is an actual intern here at SI. I got curious, and I found out you were born Emma FitzPatrick, before being adopted by Richard Parker at two years old. From there, I fell down the rabbit hole of research, and found you in a few other places, scattered throughout my database.” 

He flicks up a picture of Steve and Emma at their table, more security footage, “Roger’s unknown girlfriend who broke his heart. You.” 

The picture from the Expo comes up next to it. “The girl prepared to sacrifice herself for a little boy in an Iron Man mask at my Expo. You.” 

A projection of the web-shooters that Emma modified for Peter. “Spider-Man’s mysterious mechanical engineer. You.” 

The picture of Peter and Emma at her graduation that May posted on Facebook, “Peter Parker’s older sister who everyone seems to not want me to meet. You.” 

Finally, a picture of her security clearance photo on her SI ID. “The daughter I unknowingly had with one of the only women I ever loved, who not only never contacted her father, but she got into his company of her own merit-  _ You _ .” He sighs and leans back into his chair. “You’re the answer to a lot of my questions, Emma. But I’ve still got a few, if you’re up to answering.” 

“Fate really was just setting us up to take the shots, huh?” Emma asked, looking around at the meeting room before standing and walking over to the small coffee station, beginning to make herself a cup. “Will I still be paid if I spend my work day here with my biological father?” 

“Sure. Can I get a cup, too?” 

“Sure,” she parrots, and pours two cups. The redhead walks back over to Tony and hands him his cup before taking a seat across from him. “What do you want to know?” 

“Everything I missed these last twenty-one years would be nice.” 


	4. Chapter 4

The conversation turned more casual after that, and they ended up just talking for a long time. “How’d you meet Rogers?” Tony asks her sometime later, after she explained her sound reasoning for not contacting him. 

“During New York, four aliens cornered me in an alleyway. I grabbed a pipe, then he took out three of them with one throw, I hit the distracted alien, ducked his fire, and while on the floor, grabbed Steve’s shield, did a quick calculation, chucked it at the wall, and it bounced off and took the alien’s head off. He was impressed.” 

“And he what- asked you out on the spot?” Emma rolls her eyes, and Tony’s lips quirk slightly at the familiar expression. Two parts Mary’s Fondness and one part Tony’s Exasperation. 

“No. He got me to safety. Flash forward three years later, I’m nineteen. I’ve decided that I’m getting over my crush on Captain America that year, and go out dancing with my friend. She gets pretty drunk, so I sent her back to campus in a cab, and began to walk to my car. And before you ask- I don’t drink. Anyway, I realize some creep is following me, and pretend to go through my bag for some keys, while I actually grab my taser. When he pushes me into the alley, I get him in the ribs, kick him while he’s down, and look up to see some other guy at the end of the alley.

“I threatened him with my taser, he asked if I he knew me, and I couldn’t see his face, and I told him so, he took off his baseball cap, and imagine my surprise that it’s Captain Goddamn America. I ask him to walk me to my car, because I didn’t want to walk alone, and who better to join me than the Good Captain himself. So we get to talking, we exchange numbers, and get coffee the next day…” Emma’s studying her paper cup intently. 

“We dated for almost three months, and I realized that for the same reasons I couldn’t have a relationship with my biological father, I couldn’t have a relationship with him, so I… I broke up with him.” Emma attempts to blink the tears from her eyes, and wipes hastily at her cheeks when they fall. “God, I miss him. I love him, and I never even told him I did.” 

Tony’s quiet for a while. “Y’know, when we all found out he had a secret girlfriend and that she broke up with him, we attempted to get him to spill all your worst traits- but he couldn’t name one. Back then I thought he was lovesick fool, but knowing you now, I get it. You’re a hard person to hold a grudge against. He clearly didn’t- couldn’t, even…” Tony sighs, “I can’t say for sure, but I think he loves you… I’m beginning to see how easy it is, and I can’t imagine someone like Rogers not falling ass over tea kettle for a girl like you.” 

Emma smiles slightly at her biological father, clearing her throat. “Thanks, Tony. That’s- That’s good to hear. I know you’re not exactly on good terms.” Tony huffs. 

“Well, he did save your life, and he did treat you right. Still an asshole though, no offense. Just because you’re unhatable doesn’t mean golden boy is.” Emma snorts, before looking out the window to see a dark sky. 

“Wow, it’s late and I’m starving.” 

They’re both quiet, before speaking at the same time, “Thai?” 

They laugh and Emma nods. “Great minds and all.”

It’s the next day when Emma goes to clock in that the intern supervisor comes up to her with wide eyes. “Miss Parker, you’ve been requested as a personal intern to Tony Stark.” The redhead sighs and nods. She knew something like this was going to happen. Tony couldn’t just let things be. It was against his very nature. “I’ve already transferred you under his direct authority, so collect your things and go to his lab on the 70th floor.” 

While Emma’s packing up her stuff, a lot of people come up to her, concerned that she’s been fired. Everyone she explains the situation to just stares at her with wide eyes, before agreeing that she’s the best choice for the job, which is kind of them to say. 

A man she recognizes to be Happy Hogan is waiting for her near the elevator, and he looks a bit nervous. “Miss Parker,” he greets. “How’s the kid? I haven’t seen him in a while.” He sounds concerned, and Emma’s face softens slightly. 

“He’s got school, plus his various extracurriculars, so he’s been staying busy. I warned him if he gets anymore bad grades I’m having Mr. Stark ground him, and now I can actually go through with that threat if I ever need it, so that’s nice.” Happy smiles slightly, amused. 

“He’s a good kid. Really saved my ass, with the whole- homecoming thing. He’s grown on me, I’ll admit.” Emma nods in agreement. 

“Yeah, he’s like that.” 

They exit onto the 70th floor just in time to see Pepper Potts exit the door to Tony’s lab. Her eyes light up when she sees Emma and Happy. She strides forward, hand reaching to shake the one Emma easily offers the taller redhead. “Miss Parker, it’s great to meet you.” 

“You as well, Miss Potts.” 

“Call me Pepper, please.” 

“Then call me Emma.” 

“Emma, I should get going. Happy, you ready?” Happy nods and heads back into the elevator and Emma turns towards the lab door to see Tony standing in the doorway, dressed more casually today, smiling at her. 

“Emma, come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.” He leads her into the frankly spectacular lab while speaking, “I’ve arranged to have you as my personal intern, because you’ll be helping me with some projects that need a Stark/Parker touch.” He pulls up a hologram of a new Spider-Man suit, the project labeled, ‘Iron-Spider.’ “He didn’t really react the way I wanted to the first model I showed him, so I’m thinking to incorporate nanoparticles, really wow him, what do you think?” 

And just like that, they’re off. 

Peter ends up joining them after he gets out of school, and he looks around with wide eyes, before looking to Emma and Tony with a grin. “So I’m an actual intern now?” 

“Yes, you are,” Tony says, looking between the two Parkers, who are both leaning into each other, Emma’s arm looped through Peter’s. “This is the first time I’ve seen you two in the same room- and wow. It’s kind of weird.” 

“Why?” they ask at the same time, before sharing a grin. 

“Because you could tell me that you both are my kids and I wouldn’t be surprised.” 

Peter blushes, smiling in a pleased manner. “Thanks, Mr. Stark.” 

“Was that a compliment?” Tony asked, before shaking his head. “Alright, let’s get to work, kiddies.” 

“I’m twenty one years old,” Emma says incredulously. Tony groans. 

“Don’t remind me. Jesus. Okay,  _ Parkers _ , to work we go.” 

Rhodey comes in one day for Tony’s newest upgrades for his leg braces, and freezes when he sees Emma and Peter working on calibrating his newest pair of web-shooters, by having Emma throw something into the air, and having Peter web it to the wall. Tony is supposed to be working on said upgrades for Rhodey, but is distracted by Emma and Peter’s laughs and cheers, which were better than the crashes and huffs of disappointment that happened the first few times when Peter’s aim was off. 

“I think we’ve got it,” Emma said, looking from her clear tablet to the wall of webbed object. The young redheaded woman grabs a spray bottle and tosses it to Peter- who webs it to the wall. She rolls her eyes. “That was the web dissolving solution, you dufus.” 

“Oh, sorry,” Peter squints at the wall. “They’ll come down on their own in a few hours,” he shrugs and Emma squints at him and opens her mouth- only for Rhodey to interrupt. 

“Tony, what the hell is going on?” 

All three look at Rhodey, and he’s blindsided by the fact that the redhead’s eyes are exactly like Tony’s and not only that, her face is exactly- “Mary,” he says, pointing to Emma, and then back to Tony. “When-” 

“He just found out,” Emma says, striding forward with her hand raised to shake. Rhodey takes it as he studies the redhead. “I’m Emma Parker. That’s my little half brother, Peter,” the brunet waves and then goes back to trying to pull the ‘web dissolving solution’ bottle from the wall with his bare hands. “He’s Spider-Man.” 

“How old are you?”

“Twenty one. Peter’s sixteen.” She turns and gestures for Rhodey to follow, and he does. “I’ll be helping Tony with your updates, Peter’s just here to look pretty.” 

“I am not pretty!” Peter protests.

“You’re right- You’re gorgeous!” Emma grins at her brother, who turns pink before he turns and jumps onto the wall, sticking to it as he squats over the bottle to try and pull the bottle off with increasing force. 

“Come on, no one’s going to believe that I stuck my homework to the wall!” Emma laughs. 

“That’s what you get! Now,” she turns back to Rhodey, squinting as she looks him over. God, she looks just like her mother. “I’m just gonna do the normal checks first.” 

Mary had gone to MIT with them, back in the day, and they’d been good friends until her and Tony broke up- when she up and disappeared. Now he knows why she never reached out to him before he was notified that she and her husband were killed in a tragic plane crash. He’d never gotten the nerve to meet their two children. 

He wishes he had. 

“I was good friends with your mom,” Rhodey says as Emma types on the tablet currently hooked up to his leg braces while Tony helps Peter. Emma looks up, face openly curious. 

“Really? I didn’t know that. She didn’t really talk about much that happened before she had me,” Emma looks down at her tablet again, lips pinched. “What was she like back then?” 

“Selfless,” Rhodey replied immediately. “She stayed by Tony’s side through a lot of shit, because for a while he was her number one priority. I didn’t know why it changed, but if I had to guess, it’s because she got a new number one when she found out about you.” Emma smiles, and it’s so soft and familiar, goddamnit, Rhodey forgot how much he missed Mary’s smile until he saw it on someone else. 

“She told me that when Tony refused to commit, she knew that she had to go, for my sake.” Emma looks up at Rhodey with wet eyes and then away. “My mom used to tell me about her best friend in college, a soldier. I didn’t connect it to you until just now. She said that Jamie was the most competent, loving man she knew until she met my dad. Mom said you were like siblings, that you were the big brother she never had… She regretted that you never got to be an Uncle.” Rhodey’s throat is tight. 

“You can call me Uncle, if you want,” the Colonel offers, and he reeps the award of Emma smiling Mary’s smile again. 

“I’d like that. Okay, Uncle Rhodey, let’s run through some tests.” 

After they go through the tests, Rhodey invites Peter and Emma out to dinner to tell them about what their mom was like when she was younger. Both of her children agree with the same enthusiasm that Mary FitzPatrick was known for. Tony smiles and waves them off, saying he’s got plans with Pep. 

They end up at a small Italian place, and after dinner, they’re walking around as Rhodey tells them about when his father died. “Mary stayed up with me all night, and we just talked… She knew my family pretty well, and had a few stories of her own with my Pops… I don’t think I could ever repay her for that- for getting me through those rough few weeks, but she just told me that seeing my smile again was enough.” 

Emma smiles, voice thick with emotion as she says, “That sounds like her.” 

Peter’s brown eyes are wet as he listens to stories about a woman he barely even remembers, his heart hurting over the thought that he’ll never really know this amazing woman past stories like these… Emma grabs his hand in hers, squeezing it reassuringly, and he smiles wanely at her as she pulls him to stop, waving Rhodey ahead to the car. 

“She’d be so proud of the person you’ve become, Pete,” Emma says quietly, and Peter pinches his lips as tears shine in his eyes as he looks to his older sister. 

“Really?” 

“Absolutely. Dad may have been about using your power responsibly, but Mom- she was about putting others before yourself when you can, and even sometimes when you can’t. She said that the way you treat others, it reflects what’s inside, and Pete, you’re beautiful inside and out.” 

He dives into his sister’s arms, tucking his head in her neck as she shushes him gently, running her fingers through his hair. “She loved you so much, and you make her proud everyday just by being you.” He sniffs and hugs his sister tighter for a moment, before stepping back. 

“Let’s- Let’s not keep Uncle Rhodey waiting.” 

Emma smiles and nods, looping her arm through his and leading him down the sidewalk to where Rhodey stood, watching them fondly. “Let’s get you back before Tony accuses me of trying to steal his kids.” 

“Yeah, okay.” 

“You take that dinosaur phone everywhere. Why?” Emma asks one lab session. Tony freezes. 

“I… am a horrible father,” Tony sighs, looking down at the flip phone settled on his desk. “This phone has one number- to Rogers. I can’t believe I didn’t- I’m so sorry. Do you want to use it?” 

Emma pinches her lips. “I’ll… I’ll think about it.” 

She’s distracted the rest of the day, which Tony could understand, and he still feels pretty guilty, so he doesn’t comment about the far away look in her eyes. Peter doesn’t understand why his sister is so… quiet. 

“You okay, Em?” 

“I- yeah. I’ve just got something on my mind.” 

“What’s got you so caught up?” 

Emma sighs. “It’s… It’s complicated.” 

“Oh. Okay.” 

After the revelation that Emma could pick up a phone and dial a number and hear a voice she had resigned herself to only ever hear again over recordings, she’s- 

Torn. 

On one hand, she misses his voice. She misses him, the man she’s sure is the greatest love of her life- the one that got away because she pushed him away. On the other hand, he might have moved on. It’s been what feels like forever since they broke up… So she does what she always does when she feels like this. 

She goes to Ben. 

“Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad. I’m- I’m here to talk to Ben.” She swallows and turns to the newest stone, the grave she hadn’t visited since- since the funeral. “H-Hey Ben, I just- I’m so conflicted, and you’ve always been a great listener, so I think it’ll make me feel better if it’s you, specifically, I talk to… God, I wish you were here, because I could really use one of your hugs right about now.” 

She sniffs, and lowers herself to the ground. It’s the beginning of Spring, and the snow has finally melted, but the chill in the air still lingers. 

“You know about Steve. I told you everything. I broke up with him because- because of the danger being associated with him could bring my family- but then danger found us, and I- I feel like none of my reasons really matter anymore. And- And, I just- I miss him. I do. 

“I’m afraid if I don’t call soon, he’ll- he’ll be taken away, and he’ll never know how much I love him. 

“God- I love him, so much.

“And you’ve always let me make my own decisions, but Ben- I don’t know what to do. Do I let him go? Let him move on without a word? Do I try to get him back even though I- Even after I broke his heart?” 

It’s silent. 

Hot tears scald her cheeks. “Please, tell me what I should do- just this once, give me a sign.” 

There is no answer from above, just the early morning quiet. 

Emma closes her eyes and buries her face in her hands for a long moment, before she slowly gets to her feet. “I love you guys, and I miss you all. I- I’ll come visit more, I promise, but I’ve got to go.” 

She turns and she leaves. 

When Peter learns about the phone, he hugs his sister tight. They’re sitting on their couch, May having just gone up to bed after their weekly movie night. “This must be hard,” Peter murmurs, and Emma nods into his shoulder. “I wish I could give you some sort kind of advice, but I really have no experience in this area.” Emma laughs wetly. 

“That’s okay, Pete. You being here is enough for me.” Peter sighs in relief. 

“Good. Because I’ve got nothing else.” 

“Let’s change the subject. When’s your field trip to MOMA?” Peter brightens. 

“Next week! Since we took the AP exam already, we’ve just been hanging out and I think MJ might… y’know.” Emma looks up with a smile and watches Peter’s face turn red. 

“You think she likes you? That’s so cute,” Emma cooes, and Peter smiles slightly. 

“I don’t know for sure- but I saw her sketchbook, and she’s not drawing me in distress anymore.” 

“I’m so excited for you, Pete! Are you asking her to the Spring Formal?” He turns redder. 

“I- I might. I don’t know yet… But I’d really like you to meet her soon. I’ve told her all about you, and she says you sound great, and MJ doesn’t say that about just anyone… so… Stop grinning at me like that, you’re freaking me out.” Peter lightly pushes Emma’s face away, and she stops grinning like a maniac. 

“I’m just so happy for you, Pete. You’re growing up so fast. Can you slow down a little, please?” Peter rolls his eyes lightly. 

“I’m not going to stay a kid forever, Em.” 

“I know you won’t. It’s just weird. You’re my baby brother,” she sighs, ruffling his hair and standing up to stretch. “Okay, I’ve got to get back to campus.” Peter pouts even as he insists on walking her out to her car. “Be good on your field trip. No shenanigans.” 

“I can’t help it! Shenanigans just happens sometimes! It’s the Parker Luck!” 

Emma laughs and presses a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you for dinner after your field trip, you can tell me how it went with MJ.” Peter nods and hugs his sister tight. “I love you, Petey-Pie. Have a good week. Stay safe on patrol.” 

“I will. Don’t worry so much, you’ll go grey, and I happen to like you with red hair. And I love you, too, Em.” Emma gets in her car, and waves to Pete, and drives away, glancing in her rear view to see Peter still waving at her. She chuckles and focuses on driving, though she glances in her rear view until she turns the corner and can’t see him anymore. 

God, she loves that kid. 

It’s the day of Peter’s field trip when everything goes to shit. 


	5. Chapter 5

Emma drives out of NYC, feeling numb. 

The Avengers’ Compound is a four hour drive normally, and so with all the chaos, it takes her eight, right into the morning after the madness. All that Emma knows is that May had been May one moment and ash the next. 

They’d been watching the news religiously for any sign of Peter and Tony. They hadn’t seen anything when the world fell into chaos as people fell into ash. 

Pepper had called her, and sobbed when Emma picked up. Happy was gone. Dust. And Pepper needed the redhead to come to the compound with May-

“She’s- She’s gone, Pep. I saw it.” 

“Oh God. Okay. Just- pack everything important and all your essentials and come up. Please.” 

Emma had agreed, because what else was she going to do? She packs a bag for Peter as well, praying that he’d need it. 

Steve sighs as he goes through the files of the missing heroes, searching for potential family that needed to be contacted, when he comes across Spider-Man’s file. 

‘Spider-Man - Peter Parker,’ the tab reads, and Steve feels himself go cold as his heart drops to his stomach, vividly remembering that Spider-Man is from Queens… He opens the file, and what he reads only makes him feel worse. 

Mary Parker (Mother) - DECEASED

Richard Parker (Father) - DECEASED

Ben Parker (Uncle)- DECEASED

May Parker (Aunt) - (Status Unknown)

Emma Parker (Sister) - (Status Unknown)

He clicks on Emma’s file, and finds himself staring at the projection of her face, because God- She’s so beautiful. But she could be- and if she’s not- her brother… Oh God. 

Later, the Avengers gather around in a meeting room, discussing damage control with Miss Potts, when FRIDAY- the Stark AI- interrupts. 

“Miss Potts, Miss Parker has just entered the building and is heading in your direction.” Pepper’s shoulders drop with relief, while Steve’s tense up. Could it really be her? 

“Parker?” Steve asks, and Pepper’s eyes are sad. 

“Yes, she’s Tony’s intern.” 

“Is- Is her name Emma?” 

Pepper freezes, before narrowing her eyes at Steve as Rhodey looks to him in confusion. “How do you know-” 

“Pep. It’s fine,” comes a soft, divine voice from the doorway, and Steve’s head snaps over to the weary redhead in the doorway. “Hey Steve.” 

“Emma…” They stare at each other for a long moment, before her brown eyes flicker to the screens behind him, where he knows Peter’s face is projected, and her face crumples. Steve rushes forward to embrace her, and she falls into his chest, sobbing. “Shh… Come on, Doll, you look exhausted. Let’s get you to bed, alright?” 

She nods and lets Steve lead her away, leaving everyone else in the room to look to Pepper in confusion, who shrugs helplessly and looks to Rhodey, who’s staring at where the couple disappeared around a corner. He knows why she came here, but how did she know Captain America? 

Meanwhile, Steve leads the love of his life to his old bedroom, and she curls up on his bed, still sobbing and gasping for breath. He sits beside her and strokes her hair, which she’s grown out, he notices distantly. “Shh… Doll, breath with me.” He takes her hand and places it on his chest, and soon she gets enough control to attempt to match his breathing, staring at the ceiling like it’ll give her the answers she needs. 

After she’s breathing fine, she finally looks up at him with sad brown eyes, lined with regret, and Steve lowers the hand still in his to the bed, but doesn’t dare to let go. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, voice hoarse. “I should have never let you go-” 

“You were protecting your family, Doll.” 

“But- But I st- still failed. Ben was shot in an alley, and Peter-” Her eyes are agonized, “Peter saw all of it, Steve. Ben died there, and- and Peter had just gotten his powers, and hadn’t used them because he- he didn’t want to hurt me. But after… He couldn’t stand by when he had the power to help the powerless… Ben and Dad- they used to say this thing. ‘With great power comes great responsibility,’ and he- he took it to heart.” She plays with Steve’s fingers, avoiding his eyes. 

“He started going out, and I caught him soon enough and gave him a little upgrade, because there was nothing else I could do. I couldn’t stop him… Then Iron Man took an interest in him… After the Vulture, and Coney Island, he looked deeper into Peter, into me, and he found out that… He’s my biological father.” 

Steve stares at her with sad eyes. 

“Tony’s more of a weird uncle to me, but to Peter… They got so close, and he saw him as more than just a mentor, and now… They could both be dead, and I may never know what happened.” 

Steve squeezes her hand, his other hand rising to tuck her hair behind her ear. 

“And while this was going on, I’ve been contemplating using Tony’s burner to call the man I love-” Steve’s breath catches in his chest as Emma stares straight into his eyes, “Who I let go. And I- I never called because I was- I am afraid that he’ll have moved on from me, the girl who broke his heart.” 

“I never could,” he whispers, and her eyes are still pained. “I- I won’t lie and say I didn’t try. Sharon, she was nice, but she wasn’t you… It never stopped being you.” Tears shine in both their eyes. He leans forward and presses a whiskery kiss to her forehead. “Go to sleep, Doll, you look exhausted.” Emma nods and turns to her side, and Steve watches her for a moment before getting up and closing his door behind him, heavy hearted. 

He knew that until they found a solution (if there was a solution- and God, what a horrible thought), Emma would need him, and this time, Steve would be there. 

He walks back into the meeting room, lost in thought until Rhodes stands in front of him. “How do you know my niece?” 

“She’s the girl who broke up with me before Ultron.” 

“The young woman who broke your heart?” Thor asks bluntly, and Steve nods. “And she’s a Stark… Odd the way Fate works.” 

“Yeah,” Steve scrubs a hand through his shaggy hair, “I didn’t know about that, but it makes sense. She’s brilliant… Her little brother is Spider-Man.” 

“The one she wanted to protect? That’s…” Bruce’s eyes glance to the picture of Peter. “Horrible.” He picks at his sleeve. “That poor woman.” 

The sick irony wasn’t lost on the others, either. 

The next morning is… trying. 

Emma doesn’t get out of bed, she’s so stricken with grief over her father and brother, and Steve and Rhodey have tried their best to take care of her, though Rhodes has been busy with damage control. 

When she is out of bed, she sits in front of the screen displaying the search for the Guardians’ lost ship, which is their only real lead. But it takes time to scan millions of lightyears of space for a single ship, especially with the universe thrown into chaos as it is. It’s almost a month later when-

They find it. 

Captain Marvel retrieves the ship, and it’s the middle of the night when she returns with a blue robot/alien woman, a starving Tony Stark, and no one else. 

“I lost the kid,” Tony whispers brokenly to Steve, before his eyes go wide and desperate. “Emma- is she-?” 

“Inside,” Steve assures the man. 

“Tony!” Pepper cries, “Where’s- Where’s Peter?” The agony on his face is enough. “No, oh god no…” She helps him to the stretcher, and her and Steve share a look of grief, for the loss of Peter, and for how it will destroy the people who love him. 

Emma’s waiting in the lobby, and watches her father be rolled by, and when Steve walks in, and no one else, her face falls. “No… No, Steve- Where is he? Where is he? He- He- He can’t-  _ Peter _ …” Steve approached her slowly, and when she looks up at him, her face crumples as she falls into his arm, sobbing. “I can’t lose him, too. I can’t- I can’t-  _ I can’t _ .” 

But she did. 

After they kill Thanos, the hopelessness of the situation begins to sink in. 

They’d lost. 

When they come back, Emma’s under sedation. After they sent the message that the stones were gone and Thanos was dead, the redhead had broken to pieces. She’s sharing a room with her father in the Med Bay, and Steve sits beside her bed as he waits for her to wake up, holding her hand gently in both of his. 

“She’s going to need all hands on deck,” Tony began, “So if you’re not prepared for-” 

“Tony, I love your daughter. For better or worse, I’m not going anywhere.” 

Tony stares at Steve for a long moment before nodding. “Okay. I believe you. But if you break her heart, you’re a dead man.” Steve nods, and a weary voice comes from Emma. 

“Don’t kill Steve, Tony,” she sighs heavily. “It wasn’t a nightmare, was it?” Steve squeezes her hand, which now holds tightly to his. 

“No, Doll, it wasn’t.” 

“They’re not coming back.” 

“No… No, they’re not. I’m sorry.” 

Tears slip down her temples, and a shaky breath leaves her lips. Suddenly, she yearns for her dad’s scratchy forehead kisses, her mother’s warm hugs, her uncle’s steady eyes, her aunt’s soothing voice, and Peter’s  _ everything _ . 

It’s heartbreak like no other. 

Peter has always been her number one priority. He’s always been her everything, and now… Now he’s gone. Dead. Dust. 

What’s she supposed to do now? 

“A funeral,” she whispers, before speaking with more urgency. “We need to plan the funeral, and they’ve got to be beside Mom, Dad, and Ben…” She looks helplessly to Steve, who’s watching her with loving blue eyes. He nods and she calms slightly. 

“We will, Doll. We’ll have a service for them. But for now, you need to rest, okay? Once things have calmed down some, we’ll- we’ll do it.” She relaxes into her pillows. 

“Thank you,” she whispers, relieved to be doing something, rather than float without direction in the grief drowning her. 

It’s a small funeral at the same church Ben and May married in, the same one that held her Uncle’s funeral. They bury empty caskets, and when Emma sees all five Parker graves, all the people she’s loved so dearly, all taken from her too soon, she falls to her knees with the weight of her despair. 

They’re gone. 

She’s the only Parker left. 

And God- she’s tired of being left behind. 

She visits them every Thursday. 

Steve insists on driving down to the city with her every time. They haven’t talked about renewing their romantic relationship, and Emma will forever be thankful for Steve’s unending patience. He’s always there, willing to wait for her to be ready, if she ever is. He’s there, willing to hold her when she cries, to hold her together. He’s there, willing to give and give and give, and take only what she’s ready to return. 

When the recently married Tony and Pepper announce her pregnancy, Emma breaks down into tears. Everyone else is moving on, and Emma- she’s stuck. 

She confesses this to Steve one night, and he holds her tightly for a long while. “Do you want to go back to the city and finish school?” He asks her after she’s calm again. Emma pulls back to look at him. 

“Go back to the city?” 

He gently cards his fingers through her hair, and she leans into his touch, and he smiles slightly. “Yeah, I was thinking… We could get an apartment with two bedrooms near campus, and we wouldn’t have to drive far to visit-”

Emma presses her lips to Steve, and he gently, lovingly kisses her back. 

“Is that a yes?” She laughs slightly and nods. 

“That’s a yes.” 

They move into an apartment walking distance from campus, and Steve still insists on driving her to visit the Parkers every Thursday. He never joins her, saying she should have her privacy. He makes her love him so much, even more everyday, but she’s afraid if she says it again, he’ll leave like everyone else she’s loved this much. 

“I feel like I’m cursed, Ben,” she sighs, sitting in front of her Uncle’s grave, picking at the grass in front of her, and imagines Ben telling her to talk it out because he’s there to listen. “I feel like if I tell him, he’ll- he’ll… It’s ridiculous, and stupid, I know, but… What if I say it, and-” she sighs. “I guess I’ll still be feeling it, and I already kind of said it, so I don’t need to say it... But I should. I should tell him how I feel, because if I don’t, and he- If I don't say it, and he's taken away from me… Then I’ll always regret it.” 

She smiles at Ben’s grave. “Thanks for listening, Ben.” 

After she says goodbye to the rest of her family, she makes her way back to the car, wondering how she should say it. She makes vague plans for big declarations, but they all go out the window when she slides into the passenger seat and Steve looks at her with those baby blues of his. 

“I love you.” 

He freezes for a moment before smiling softly. 

“I love you, too, Doll.” 

They go home to their apartment, which is fairly sized for two people. The first thing that Emma insisted needed to be done was to hang up all the pictures of the people they love and have lost, so that way they never risk forgetting what they look like. That had been a fear of Emma’s for Peter, about their parents, and May had taken her to a decor store and they’d picked out a few frames, and they’d put them in places that Peter would see, so that way he knew they’d always be watching over him. 

One of Emma’s favorite frames is of the sketch Steve did of his mom, Sarah Rogers, which sits on their mantel. Among the sketch is the photo of Peter and her at her high school graduation, a picture of young Mary, Richard, Ben, and May, a photo of Bucky, and the newest one, a photo of Steve and her at her twenty third birthday dinner, taken by a helpful waiter. 

They’ve got separate bedrooms, but they barely ever stay separated. Emma feels safest in Steve’s arms, and Steve feels best when he can hold her close and feel her breathing, and hear her heartbeat, and know that she’s real and solid. A nightmare haunts him nearly every night, where Emma does turn to ash, and he’s left with nothing but her memory. 

Steve often regrets that he let Emma walk away so easily. Maybe if he’d fought, he could’ve been there with her through everything. But it didn’t matter now, he tries to convince himself. She was here. She loves him, and though he knows his fears aren’t real, sometimes he still dreams of her walking away, and never seeing the love of his life again. 

And when she turns to dust in his dreams, he wakes up, and he holds her just a bit too tightly. 

They have date night every Saturday and spend Sundays together, doing errands and going to their cafe to sit in their spot. The owner had come over in tears, so happy to see them together again. 

“One good thing to come from this,” the old woman had said, eyes gleaming as she patted their joined hands. “Let me get you some refills, dears.” 

They had looked at each other, and smiled sadly. 

It’s months later, after her college graduation attended by Rhodey, Natasha, and Steve, they’re called by Tony to tell them that Pepper had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl named Morgan Maria Stark. The couple travels to visit the pair in the hospital by their cabin on the lake to meet the newborn Stark. Tears fill Emma’s eyes as she holds the baby securely in her arms. 

“Hey there, Morgan. I’m your big sister,” she murmurs to the child, who looks up at her with wide, identical brown eyes. Steve watches them and a strange, but good, feeling fills his chest. He wants that, he realizes. He wants Emma, and he wants her forever, and he wants to have children that are the perfect mix of both of them. He can almost see it now. 

The simple life. 

He looks up suddenly and makes eye contact with Tony, who looks all too knowing. Steve tilts his head toward the hallway and Emma’s father comes along. “Tony, I want to tell you that I’m planning to propose to Emma.” 

“You’re not asking for my blessing?” 

Steve has a stubborn glint in his eyes. “No, I’m not. Emma’s her own person, and if she says yes, then I’m marrying her.” Tony’s lips quirk slightly as he nods. 

“Thanks for telling me, Rogers. Be good to her. She may not consider me to be her dad, but she’s still my daughter.” Steve nods, and they head back into the room as Morgan begins to cry. 

“Looks like she wants her mommy,” Emma says, smiling softly as she hands over the infant to Pepper, before turning to glance at Steve, “We should get going. We’ve got a bit of a drive.” 

“So soon?” Tony asks, seeming a bit disappointed. Emma nods. 

“I’m still helping to cover for you, so I’m kind of swamped.” With Pepper gone on maternity leave and Tony gone with her, Stark Industries had fallen into the capable hands of a group of carefully selected individuals. Emma was one of them, and currently heading R&D with another engineer in Tony’s place. 

“Oh, right,” Tony pinches his lip and pats Emma’s shoulder. “I hear you’re doing great work. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a Parker.” Emma smiles slightly. 

“Thanks, Tony.”

On the drive home, Emma’s a bit quiet, and an hour into the trip, Steve knows she’s thinking hard about something. He reaches a hand over to catch one of her’s. “Something on your mind, Doll?” he asks, and she sighs. 

“I- I think I want a baby,” she admits, and Steve struggles not to cheer and immediately pull out the ring box burning a hole in his pocket. Not yet. He needs it to be perfect- Steve just needs to figure out what exactly perfect would be. Something earnest and sweet and romantic- something that shows this woman exactly how he feels for her. 

“I’ve always wanted kids,” the blond admits, and he keeps his focus on the road, even as Emma turns to him with relief shining in her eyes. 

“Really?” He nods.

“Yeah. After I got out of the ice, I didn’t think I would ever get to live that dream, because everything was so different- but then I met you, and things changed, again, even if I didn’t realize it then.” 

“Oh,” she says softly, and he hears the sad smile in her voice when she speaks. “Peter- He was going on one of his romantic rants, and he said something like- ‘What if he’s waiting for you, but he doesn’t know that he is.’” Steve squeezes her hand. 

“Well, he was right.”

“... I wish I could tell him. I wish they could all see how happy you make me.” 

Suddenly, Steve has an idea. 


	6. Chapter 6

“Do you mind if I come with you?”

Emma looks up in surprise. It’s Thursday, a beautiful summer day. “You want to?” Steve nods. 

“Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind,” she replies easily, and he smiles in relief. 

They join hands and walk together to the Parkers, and when they arrive, Steve murmurs, “Do you mind if I say something to them?” Emma looks up at him in surprise, but nods. She watches as he swallows and looks down at the graves before him. 

“Dr. and Dr. Parker, I just want you to know that I love your daughter more than anything, and that even though you died before your time, I can still see the evidence of your love and care for her today. Your impact on her life will never end, and I thank you for your hand in creating the woman who stands beside me today... 

“Mr. and Mrs. Parker, I think we all know how self sacrificing your niece is, just know, she has someone beside her just as willing to lay down on the line as she is for the people she loves, and I won’t ever let her forget it… 

“Peter, I don’t know how you knew, but somehow you knew that one day you wouldn’t be around to give your blessing to Emma and I, and I want to thank you, because knowing that I’ve got you on my side makes this much easier.” Steve turns to Emma, who’s staring at him with wide, wet brown eyes. 

He gets down on one knee before her and her family. Steve takes out a black velvet ring box, and he opens it to reveal his mother’s simple silver band with its small glittering diamond. “Doll, you are the strongest woman I know. You’ve gone through so much, and yet, you can still find it within yourself to keep on living- to keep on opening your heart to love. So Emma Parker… 

“Will you marry me?” 

“ _ Yes _ ,” she whispers, tears falling onto her cheeks as she grins. “Yes, yes! I’ll marry you, of course I will.” He takes her left hand and gently slides the fitted ring onto her finger, before grinning and surging up to embrace her tightly as she cries tears of joy and grief. When they part, Emma looks down at her glittering ring, and recognizes from the portrait on the mantel. “It’s Sarah’s,” she realizes, and looks up to Steve, who brushes a kiss to her forehead. 

“She’d want you to have it.” 

Emma gives a watery smile, and Steve gently wipes away her tears. “I love you so much, Steve.” 

“I love you, too, Doll.” 

“So you finally popped the question?” Natasha asks Steve, who had come upstate to visit like he did every other Tuesday while Emma was at work. The older redhead was the new leader of the Avengers, and was often very busy, but she still made time for their talks. Steve knew that being busy is just an excuse to hide away, but he didn’t want to push her. 

The death of her found family had shaken her, and she wasn’t used to loving people and losing them like Steve and Emma sadly are. 

“Yeah,” Steve grins softly, looking like a lovesick dope. 

“One step closer to that Apple Pie life,” Nat muses, and the blond looks up at her. “I thought you didn’t want that life, what changed?” 

“Emma came back.” Steve looks down at his hands. “She came into my life, and I could see it, y’know? I could see it, even then, when we’d just been together a few months. She broke my heart, and I thought it was a sign from the universe, because if it wasn’t going to be with Emma, it wasn’t going to happen at all… I had resigned myself for fighting the good fight for the rest of my life… Then the world ended, and she walked into that room, and the darkness didn’t seem so dark.” 

Nat watches Steve with wet eyes. “I’m really happy for you, Steve,” she says softly, even as her heart aches for man she loves who was never hers to begin with. When he first admitted that he was seeing someone, Natasha hadn’t known what to do with the burn of jealousy in her chest. 

Then Emma broke his heart, and she felt justified in her dislike for the woman, even when it became clear that Steve didn’t hold it against the girl. She was protecting her family, and she was willing to sacrifice her heart to do so. Natasha respected her selflessness, and of course that was the kind of woman Steve fell for, but when it came at the cost of breaking one of her best friend’s heart, the feeling soured. 

When they were on the run, Nat thought maybe it was their time. The other woman was out of the picture, it had been over a year, so surely he was over her. But he wasn’t. He had a picture of her in his compass, Natasha had seen one night. After Carter’s death, he had left her picture on her grave, and he’d replaced it with one of a beautiful young woman with dark red hair, sparkling brown eyes, and the kind of face that spoke of kindness and a gentle sort of fierceness. 

Natasha couldn’t understand why he was so hung up on this young woman. 

Then the world ended. 

When Emma Parker walked into the room, Natasha had looked to Steve to gage his reaction, and with a heavy heart, she realized that he had never truly let her go. The way he took care of her, looked at her like there was no one else in the room, it hurt. God, did it hurt. 

So she buried herself in her work, and it worked almost perfectly to distract her, but then Steve would come visit, and he’d pull right at the stitches holding her heart together. Nat wasn’t surprised that he had proposed, because she’s seen the way he looks at her, the same way that the Widow looks at him, except at the same time, his eyes held something more- something Natasha would probably never understand. 

“Thanks, Nat. That means a lot coming from you.” 

She smiles back at him, and soon enough he’s gone back to the city, to the woman he loves, and Nat- she’s alone. 

Until Rhodey comes back from his month long mission later that day, and when he sees Nat’s tears, he sighs. “You heard?” Nat asks, forcing a smile that Rhodey can see right through. “They’re engaged.” 

“Emma called me on my way here. I’m guessing I just missed Steve.” Nat nods and Rhodey sighs. “I know that you love him, Nat…” 

“But?” 

“But he’d been stuck on her for a few times longer than they knew each other, and I think you know that.” Nat nods, wiping at her eyes. “I know it doesn’t make it easier, and I’m sorry. There’s just some things that only time can heal.” Nat stares at Rhodes for a long time. 

“How do you know?” 

Rhodey sighs and studies his hands. “Emma’s mom was a good friend of mine, and for a while there, I was sure she was the one for me. Then she and Tony got together, and I was heartbroken… Bitter… Angry. We were still friends, but there was always this tension of the unsaid on my part. She left, and she never reached out, and neither did I. 

“A decade later, I was informed that she and her husband had died in a plane crash, and that they’d left two kids behind. I realized then that I’d rather remember her as my friend than as the one that got away. It took a while, but by the time I met her kids, there was no bitterness, no anger… Only the heartbreak of losing someone you love too soon.” 

“What are you saying, James?” 

“I’m saying, don’t let your heart get in the way of your friendship, because you never know how much time you’ve got left with them.” Rhodey gets up, and he pats Natasha’s shoulder before he leaves her to her thoughts. 

It’s a few months later when there’s a knock on the apartment door. Emma looks up from her book, before setting it to the side and looking through the peephole, brow furrowing slightly in confusion before a smile pulls on her lips as she unlocks the door to reveal Natasha Romanoff, who seems a bit… off. Emma doesn’t let her concern show as she opens the door wider. “Come on in,” Emma smiles and the older redhead looks around their cozy apartment and smiles slightly to herself. “Steve’s out at the support group, he’ll be back in an hour or so. What brings you to the city?” 

Nat looks at Emma for a long moment, studying her earnest expression and sincere interest, and looks back to the pictures arranged on their walls. “I wanted to come and congratulate you, though I know I’m a little late,” Nat says, studying the drawing of someone who must be Sarah Rogers on the mantel, before glancing at Emma and then away again. 

“Oh, thank you.” It’s quiet, and Emma watches Natasha closely. “Are you alright?” 

“I’m- better. It’s been a rough year, I won’t lie.” Emma nods in agreement, gesturing for Nat to sit as she retakes her spot in her arm chair. “How are you?” 

Emma smiles, and Natasha is silently surprised at how sad she looks. How… weary. The image of Steve smiling that same way floats to the surface of her mind, before she focuses back on Emma. “It’s hard, I won’t lie… To be honest, sometimes Steve is the only reason I get out of bed.” Nat could relate. “And other times everything feels like it’s changing so fast, like the world shouldn’t keep turning, we shouldn’t be moving on, and yet… We do. We can’t help it. Time goes on whether we want it to or not, whether we’re ready or not…” Emma sniffs and wipes under her eyes. “Today’s been rough. It was my little brother’s nineteenth birthday yesterday… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pretend you’re my therapist-” 

“I get it,” Nat finds herself saying, and suddenly it’s all spilling out as Emma looks at her with those earnest eyes. “I understand. I’ve been holding myself back from living because- God, I don’t even know why anymore. I feel like I’ve just been floating, and- and it hurts, because I know they wouldn’t want to see me this way. That it doesn’t honor them because they loved me, and they’d hate to see me so- so alone.” 

Tears stream down both their faces, and Emma stands and sits beside Nat, grabbing her hand and holding it in her own. 

“It’s okay to hurt,” Emma tells her, speaking the words that Natasha needs to hear. “It’s okay to grieve, but don’t let it rule your life. I learned a long time ago that losing people is a part of life, and at some point, our only choice is to move on in any way we can.” Emma’s voice is soft and comforting. 

“Y’know, I still visit their graves every Thursday, but it doesn’t hurt nearly as much as it did at first. Because they’re still here,” she places a hand over her heart. “They’ll never leave, and if you live your life well, it’s almost like they’re still there with you- along for the ride.” 

It’s quiet for a long moment, before Natasha turns and embraces Emma tightly, who holds her as the older woman weeps silently into her shoulder. The younger woman runs her fingers through the woman’s red/blonde hair, and by the time that Steve gets home, Nat and Emma are chatting as Emma makes dinner. 

“Hey Nat, what’re you doing here?” he gives her a side hug before moving to press a kiss to his fiancee’s lips, and Nat smiles slightly at them. 

“Thought I’d come get to know my sister-in-law,” she teases, and Steve grins wider. 

“Great! Are you staying for dinner?” 

Nat smiles at the image that the couple make, Steve’s arm around his fiancee’s waist, both smiling welcomely and clearly in love. “Yeah, I think I will.” 

The wedding is scheduled to take place the fifth anniversary of the day that Steve and Emma rencountered each other in that alley in Brooklyn, four days after her twenty-fourth birthday. It’ll be in the same small church in Queens Ben and May married and where the Parker funerals were held. She had asked Tony to walk her down the aisle, and he got a little teary as he said, “Of course, I’d be honored.” 

Her dress is a simple a-line silhouette, her veil elbow length, and she holds a bouquet of five large red roses with white baby’s breath and blue aster. Her something old is Sarah’s beautiful ring. Her something new is Tony’s gift of a silver locket with an engraving of an ornate ‘P’ on the outside, and the inside holds the names of her mom, dad, uncle, aunt, and brother, resting over her heart. Something borrowed is Nat’s silver anklet. Something blue is the ornate silver and sapphire comb in her hair. And of course, they have the sixpence already in her shoe. 

Emma needed all the luck she could get to counteract that good ole Parker Luck. 

Too bad that morning the first thing Emma does after she smells her breakfast is run to the bathroom to spill her guts. Natasha comes in and rubs her back and hands Emma a tissue to wipe her mouth when she’s done. Nat’s Emma’s unofficial maid of honor, and the only reason it wasn’t official was because they didn’t really have enough people for a full wedding party. 

“Are you sick?” she asks, concerned. 

“No, I- I feel better now. I- oh shit.” Emma buried her face in her hands, before looking up at the redhead with a determined glint in her eye. “Nat, I need you to go on a mission for me.” 

“Anything.” 

Thirty minutes later, Nat and Emma are pointedly not looking at the pregnancy test resting on the counter. Or the one next to it. Then the alarm on Nat’s watch goes off, and Emma swallows and looks down at the tests. “So?” Nat asks, an edge of nerves in her voice. 

“I’m pregnant.” 

Steve had gone on a very long run that morning, hoping to burn off some of the nerves he was feeling. He was marrying the love of his life, and his best friends wouldn’t be there to see it. Bucky and him had sworn they’d be each other’s best men, and so it didn’t feel right to try and replace him, so Emma and him had agreed they wouldn’t have a wedding party. 

Besides, Nat couldn’t be the best man and the maid of honor. 

When he gets back to their completely empty apartment, he finds himself feeling a bit better and worse at the same time. They were moving into their first house together, in a nice neighborhood, as kid friendly as you can get in NYC. They’d officially be moving in once they got back from their honeymoon, and Steve was- 

He was so happy, really. 

It’s just, it’s events like this that make it so clear just how much is missing. Emma’s first three choices to walk her down the aisle are dead. His two best friends, too, who he’s sure would be teasing him mercilessly about being nervous, at the same time reassuring him that she loves him. That everything will be perfect, because they’ll make it so. 

But the only person there to reassure him was himself. 

He showers, shaves, and grabs his suit before heading over to the church, where Nat is waiting in his dressing room. She ushers him into the bathroom, a gleam in her eye that Steve’s not sure is reassuring or not, where he changes into his tux. 

The nerves begin to kick in, and he’s struggling with his tie when he walks out. Nat bats his hands away and ties it for him, before tucking the  boutonnière into his breast pocket, smiling the whole time. “You’ve got nothing to be nervous about,” she tells him quietly, before stepping away to squint at him and then nodding to herself. 

“How is she?” Steve can’t help but ask. 

“She’s… a lot of things. Happy to marry the man she loves. Sad that so many people won’t be here to witness it. Excited to begin your life together, and at the same time, she feels guilty, because you’re both moving on.” Steve sighs. 

“That sounds like her.” Steve squints at Nat. “There’s something else, isn’t there?” Her lips quirk. 

“Maybe, but it’s a surprise.” 

“Am I going to like it?” 

“Oh, you’ll love it. Ready to go and wait for your bride?” 

“Yes, I’m ready. I’m so ready to marry that woman it isn’t even funny.” Nat’s lips quirk. 

“It’s a little funny. Captain America marrying Iron Man’s daughter,” she teases. Steve rolls his eyes. 

“No, it’s Steve Rogers marrying Emma Parker. I’m retired, remember?” 

“How could I forget? I’ve been working my ass off to be half as good as you.” 

“You’re not half as good, Nat. You’re better. Now let’s go and get me married.” 

“Yes sir.” 


	7. Chapter 7

When Emma was a little girl, she asked her mom what it felt like to get married. 

“It feels a lot like coming home after a long journey,” she replied simply.

And it… it does. 

As Emma gazed into Steve’s eyes, and as they repeated after Rhodey, their officeitor, it’s like the rest of the world fell away, and it was just her and it was just him, and there was nothing but the future stretched out endlessly in front of them. 

“Do you, Emma Parker, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” 

“I do,” she breathes. 

“And do you, Steve Rogers, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” 

“I do,” he says, voice choked. 

“You may kiss the bride.” 

Their first dance is to ‘Unforgettable’ by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole. 

They dance in the little rec room of the church, stuck in their own little world as Steve gently leads her through the dance, and she’s smiling even as tears stream down her face. “You look so beautiful,” Steve whispers into her ear. She smiles. “Nat said you had a surprise?” 

Emma grins. “After the cake, I’ve got a gift for you.” 

“She said I’ll love it.” 

“Oh, you will.” 

He does. Oh god he does. 

“You’re-” he looks up from the two positive tests with wide blue eyes shining with tears. Emma nods, and he grins as he scoops up his wife and spends her around, laughing with pure joy. “I love you so goddamn much,” he murmurs against her lips before kissing her deeply. “Are we telling everyone?” 

“They’re all here, might as well,” Emma shrugs as Steve clinks his fork against his glass. 

“Everyone!” They all turn to the Captain, who’s grinning widely as he holds his wife in his arms. “We’re having a baby!” 

Everyone cheers. 

“How are my beautiful girls today?” Steve asks as he comes up behind his wife in the kitchen, placing his hand over his wife’s baby bump. Steve still can’t believe it. The love of his life is four and a half months pregnant with their daughter. The baby kicks and he smiles fondly as Emma turns to him, and his joy turns to concern at her red eyes. 

“I can’t stop crying,” Emma complains as she leans into the blond’s chest, and he rubs her back. “Stupid hormones.” Steve chuckles and presses a kiss to her head of red curls. Emma sniffs and Steve shushes her gently. 

“Do you still want to go see Peter today?” 

Emma nods into his chest, pulling away to wipe at her eyes. “Yeah, he needs to know he’s going to have a niece.” She shakily breathes out, more tears building in her brown eyes, “I miss him so much, Stevie. He should- He should be here,” she begins to cry in earnest, and the blond sighs as he holds his wife to his chest. 

Every big development in their lives was often paired with a wave of especially debilitating grief and guilt, and there was nothing they could do but ride it out. 

This wasn’t the first time she was sobbing her heart out because of her family’s absence during the remarkable moments in her life, and Steve’s sure it won’t be the last. She’d cried during every appointment with the doctor to check on their daughter. 

It hurts him to see her so stricken. He knows that some wounds not even time can fully heal. Mixed with her hormones, she’s often brought to tears at even the reminder of her family- like a photo on the wall or her hand accidentally brushing the locket holding their names. 

Steve does all he can, and most times, it’s just a matter of being there for her. 

Which is what he swore to do when he first held her hand in that hospital bed, a year and a half ago. 

‘For better or worse,’ he’d told Tony. 

And Steve knew better days were just around the corner. 

She’s the most beautiful thing in the world. 

Hope Marilyn Rogers was born on the humid evening of June 10th, 2020. 

After six hours of hard labor, after the nurse cleaned her up, she was placed in her father’s arms, so tiny swaddled in a soft pink blanket, with little tufts of blonde curls peeking out of her hat. “Hi Hope,” he cooes, tracing her red face with her knuckle as tears drip down his cheeks.“I’m your Daddy.” He feels overwhelmed and incredibly calm at the same time as he gently sits beside his exhausted wife on the hospital bed. 

“How is she?” Emma asks, reaching to touch her daughter’s face with soft fingers. 

“The most beautiful thing the universe has ever seen,” he brushes a kiss to Hope’s forehead, breathing in her baby scent, before grinning at his wife, whose eyes are beginning to droop. There’s a soft cry and both parents’ heads shoot down as their daughter screws up her face before squinting up at them with big brown eyes. “Hi gorgeous. Glad you could join us,” he whispers, and Emma laughs softly. 

“It’s like someone put our DNA in a blender,” she muses. “Curly blonde hair and big brown eyes.” 

“I just hope she looks more like her mother,” Steve says, and Hope begins to cry, and Steve looks to his wife. “I think she’s hungry.” 

“Well, she’s been through quite the ordeal today, I don’t blame her. Life is tough.” 

It’s later that night, after visits from Uncle Rhodey, Aunt Tasha, and Uncle Tony, when their daughter is asleep in the crib across the room, Emma holds tightly to her locket as tears stream silently down her cheeks. “Oh Doll,” Steve sighs, pressing a kiss to her temple as she stares at the crib across the room. 

“They’d love her,” she whispers, and Steve hums in agreement. 

“Bucky would adore her, though he’d probably be hesitant to hold her, that jerk,” the blond says, voice fond, “Sam would be a fun uncle, and they’d both be protective as hell. Make her father seem like a daydream. Wanda wouldn’t know what to do with a baby, though she’d probably end up just as protective by the end of the first day,” he laughs slightly and Emma smiles. 

“May would still be crying over how beautiful she is, and would offer to babysit anytime we wanted, and probably come around to steal her when we don’t- She’s always loved babies… Peter would probably be over bright and early every morning, and he’d use his powers to amuse her. She’d grow up thinking that walking on the ceiling is just something Uncles can do,” Emma laughs wetly and Steve chuckles, before they both fall quiet. 

“I… I still can’t believe it,” Steve whispers, eyes shining with tears as he looks over at his daughter. “She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and- and they won’t ever know her. She- She won’t ever know them.” 

Emma swallows her tears and runs her fingers through her husband’s hair with a shaky hand, he leans into her touch. “Steve… It sucks that she won’t really know them… but remember, it’s not like she’s going to be alone. She’ll have Tash, Rhodey, and Tony. And- She’ll have us, and we will be enough. I swear we will.” Steve looks to his wife. 

“Sometimes I forget how much you’ve been through,” he whispers, raising a hand to cup her face as he leans in to kiss her sweetly. “I know Hope will grow up to become an amazing woman, because she’s got you to look up to. With that kind of role model, how could she be anything but spectacular?” 

Emma’s cheeks flush slightly and she pushes his shoulder slightly. “You charmer,” she smiles, a bit bashful. “With you as her daddy, I don’t think it’s possible for her to be anything but perfect.” 

“Well, I guess we’re set then. Half punk, half Parker, that’s one hell of a mix,” he jokes, and Emma smiles. 

“Yeah, maybe we’ll get a different result with the next one,” Emma comments, and Steve grins. 

“Maybe we will.” 

Emma’s got to get back to work, as her maternity leave is up. 

Steve’s going to be the best damn stay at home father there ever was, and he can practically hear Sam’s jokes about becoming a trophy husband, though he’s happy to stay with their little angel, Hope. 

She’s clearly her mother’s daughter, but she’s got her dad’s smile, which is quite adorable with no teeth, brown eyes crinkled as she laughs that adorable laugh. The first few months were tough, he’ll admit, but being a super soldier had its perks- including not needing a lot of sleep, and super senses that came in handy on many occasions. 

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” Emma frets, looking at their daughter with an adorable crease between her eyebrows. 

“Doll, you trust me, right?” 

“Of course, I guess I’m going to miss her,” she pouts before she walks up to coo at her little girl, who squeezes her finger. “My strong little girl,” she teases, kissing Hope’s cheek, causing the infant to giggle. Emma sighs and leans up to press a kiss to her husband’s lips. “I’ll be home by five. If you need anything, call me. I mean that.” 

Steve smiles. “We’ll be fine, Doll. Expect some cute photos to help you get through the day.” Emma looks cheered. 

“I look forward to them.” 

“How’s my little niece?” Tasha cooes at Hope, who’s staring up at her with wide brown eyes. “Look at all that hair,” Nat chuckles as she runs her fingers through the thick blonde curls. 

“I know,” Emma smiles down at her daughter. “I had a whole lot of hair when I was born, so I think she’s got my texture and Steve’s golden blondness. Looks like a little halo, though, right?” Emma cooes at her daughter, who is still looking around, wide eyed. “Mommy’s little ray of Hope, aren’t you?” 

Tasha watches Emma in amusement, feeling unbelievably thankful to be an Aunt again. To have a family. “If you ever need a babysitter, just let me know.” Emma looks up, smiling. 

“Actually, we were wondering if we could put you down as a guardian after Tony and Pepper. If anything were to happen to us, she’ll go to Tony and Pep, but if for some reason they can’t take her, we’d like her to go to her god-mother… Nat, are you okay?” 

She nods. “Y-Yeah. Yeah, I- I’m honored. Of course I’ll look after her. She’s an angel,” Nat smiles down at the girl, who reaches up to tug on the blonde tips of Nat’s hair, studying it curiously as she attempts to get a hold of it. 

“She’s in a hair tugging phase,” Emma pointed out needlessly, before she gestures to her red curls, secured with a clip. “I’ve been taking precautions, ‘cause she’s pretty strong for a baby.” 

“Do you think that having a super soldier father has… affected her?” Emma bites her lip. 

“It might’ve. We won’t know for sure until she hits puberty, so we’ve got time. Until then, well. We’ll just have to keep an eye out.” Nat nods. Steve walks into the room and presses a kiss to Emma’s lips before smiling at Tasha. 

“What do you think?” 

“I think you’re going to need some help keeping the boys away,” Nat says, looking between Emma and Steve. “I mean with your genetics, she’s set.” Emma blushes. 

“Thanks, Tash.” 

By the time that Hope turns one, on June 10th, 2021: Natasha is still leading the Avengers. James Rhodes is Vice President of the United States. Tony Stark has fully stepped down as the head of R&D at Stark Industries. Pepper Stark is slowly stepping down as CEO of SI. Emma Rogers becomes the co-head of R&D at SI at just twenty-five. Steve Rogers has retired at Captain America and is a stay at home father who volunteers part time at a VA hospital, always towing along his baby girl, who seems to give people Hope for the future just by existing. 


	8. Chapter 8

“Mama!” Hope squealed as she heard the front door being unlocked, and ran from the toys she was playing with to run towards the front hall, where her beautiful mother is just relocking the door. “ _ Hi Mama! _ ” she says, running forward with her hands raised to cup her’ mother’s extended belly. “Hi baby!” Hope looks up at her Mama. “Daddy’s makin’ ‘oodles!” Hope enthuses, and Emma gasps. 

“Really? You love noodles!” Emma whispers loudly to Hope, who whispers loudly back. 

“I _ know _ !” 

“Is it maybe because it’s a certain little girl’s third birthday tomorrow?” Emma asks. 

“You bet!” comes from the doorway to the kitchen, where Steve is watching them fondly, wearing an apron that reads, ‘Kiss the Cap.’ He approaches and takes his wife’s bag, hanging it by the door before he leans in to kiss her sweetly. “Hello Mrs. Rogers, how are you?” 

“Oh, y’know, excited for my maternity leave. This week’s been tough. Now, I hear we’re having noodles?” 

“You heard correctly,” Steve smiles, before looking to Hope. “Why don’t you help me finish the noodles while Mama gets changed out of her work clothes, Angel?” Hope makes a show of sighing and reluctantly lifting her arms to be taken by her father. “What? You don’t love me anymore?” Steve pouts as he walks back into the kitchen, and Hope giggles, shaking her head. “What? Oh no! Where did I go wrong? Maybe it was the noodles. Was it the noodles? Maybe I should just throw them-” 

“No! Daddy I love ‘ou! Don’ throw ‘way the ‘oodles!” Steve sighs with relief. 

“Oh good. Because I bet Mama’s hungry, and we don’t want Mama to be hungry, do we?” 

“No! We need to feed Mama!” 

“Right, and why is that?” 

“Baby!” 

“Right again, you’re on a roll today, Hope!” Steve kisses her chubby cheek before he sets her on the counter, keeping one hand on her waist while he dumps the noodles into the strainer. “Are you excited to see Aunt Nat tomorrow?” 

“Yeah! Imma show her my ballet!” 

“I’m sure she’ll love that,” Emma says as she enters the kitchen, dressed in sweatpants and one of Steve’s shirts, which will be stretched out in the stomach, but Steve could care less. Hope raises her hands and Steve picks her up to set her on the ground, watching as she runs back to the table to finish coloring the picture for Baby. “How was the group today?” Emma asks, quieter. Steve sighs. 

“It’s- the same.” Emma smiles sympathetically and rubs his back as he stirs the pasta sauce. “I’m glad I’m doing it. It’s a good reminder that… Not everyone is as fortunate as us. People who’ve never lost before, they just don’t know how to cope, they don’t-” Steve’s brows furrow. “Today,” he begins again, he swallows as his eyes shine, “I realized that- If you had dusted, I’d have nothing.” 

“Have you been having that nightmare again?” Emma asks. Steve first had the nightmare when they moved into their first apartment together, right after the Snap. He’d dream that he was holding Emma one second, and ash the next. 

“It was Hope, too, this time,” he says quietly, and Emma snakes her arms around his waist to hug him, and he holds her to his chest, real and solid in his arms. “For some people, that’s what they lost. They lost everything, and I- I gained, and it’s- hard to accept that I’m damn lucky, because I lost so much at the same time…” 

“We can’t compare our grief to others, Steve,” Emma says, cupping his face in one of her hands. “We all lost, it doesn’t matter what- We  _ lost _ .” Emma’s eyes shine, and she sniffs. “Sorry, it’s the hormones.” Steve gently wipes his wife’s face, kissing her lips, his other hand moving to gently cup her baby bump, smiling when he feels a kick. 

“Another strong woman in the family,” he murmurs, and Emma smiles. “What am I gonna do with two beautiful daughters running around?” 

“You’re Steve Rogers, you’ll figure it out,” Emma winks and they kiss once more, before Steve turns back to serving dinner, and Emma turns to her daughter coloring at the dining room table. “Sweet pea, we’ve got to clear the table for dinner.” Hope sighs deeply before nodding and gathering her crayons in her box while Emma gathers the scattered pictures, smiling at the ‘TO BABY’ at the front of each one she sees, until she sees one ‘TO PETER.’ 

“That’s for Uncle Petey when you see him on Thursday,” Hope says to her Mama, whose eyes are shiny. It’s a picture of a crudely drawn Spider-Man, with a little girl clearly meant to be Hope, and another little girl clearly meant to be Baby. “That’s Baby,” Hope points to the littlest figure with blue dots for eyes and gold pigtails, and looks at her Mama expectantly. Like she always does, Emma smile breaks across her face like dawn. 

“I’m sure he’ll love it,” Emma whispers, running a hand through her daughter’s curls as she smiles, pleased. The redhead has a folder of the drawings for Uncle Peter and Nana May in her closet, put up high so that way Hope never finds out that they never get to their lost relatives. Maybe one day Emma will sit down and explain it all to her, but for right now, this will go in a folder upstairs. 

They have noodles for dinner and Hope excitedly babbles about her day, and how her ballet class sang her Happy Birthday. “They weren’t very good,” Hope tells her, but she’s grinning. “But they were LOUD!” 

“I can confirm. Heard them from the hallway,” Steve shares a smile with Emma before standing, collecting the dishes and placing them in the sink. “Bath time, missy,” he looks at his messy daughter, who sighs heavily. 

“Why? I’m just gonna get dirty again!” 

Emma hides her smile and looks to Steve, who’s trying not to laugh as he washes the dishes. “Because I said so,” he says, “Now be good for Mama, remember-” 

“Be careful with Mama, be careful with Baby, I  _ know _ Daddy!” she sounds exasperated and when she runs upstairs, Emma finally lets out a laugh as Steve shakes his head. 

“She gets that from you,” they say at the same time, before laughing. 

“Smartass runs in the family,” Emma shakes her head before heading upstairs to help her daughter in the bath. “Are you all packed for the compound?” Emma asks her daughter as she uses her hand to make sure the soap water doesn’t get in her daughter’s sleepy brown eyes. 

The little girl yawns and nods. “Ya, I helped.” Emma bet that Hope’s version of ‘helping’ wasn’t actually all that helpful, but she bet it was amusing. “How was Baby today?” she asks. 

“Oh, she was good. Can you believe it’s only three months until you have a brand new baby sister?” Hope groans. 

“Three months? That’s soo long!” Emma rolls her eyes. “Mama,” Hope began, voice soft, and Emma looks curiously down at her. 

“Yeah sweet pea?” 

“Did you have to wait for Petey?” Emma freezes, before nodding. 

“Yes, I had to wait until I was five,” she tells Hope, who gasps. 

“That’s so long! I won’t be five for forever!” Emma laughs softly and begins to drain the tub. 

“Jammies time, Sweet Pea.” 

Once Hope is tucked in bed, fast asleep, Emma and Steve lie in bed together, Emma on her side so that way Steve can massage her lower back with his large, warm hands. “You’re magic,” she sighs as she turns to lay on her back, and Steve smirks as he leans over her. 

“I think me being magic is what got us this one,” he says, placing a hand on Baby, who kicks his palm. Emma rolls her eyes even as her cheeks flush. “I love that I can still make you blush.” 

“I’ll be ninety and you’ll be two hundred, and you’ll still make me blush.” 

Steve chuckles and kisses her jaw. “I’m glad.” 

The next morning, Emma wakes up to Steve pressed against her back, holding her just a bit too tightly for him to be asleep. She turns her head and sees him already looking at her. “Nightmare?” she whispers. He nods, swallowing as he buries his head in her neck. She sighs and runs her fingers through his hair. “Hope?” 

“Hey Mama,” Hope whispers as she peeks her head over her daddy’s back, smiling sleepily. “How’s Baby?” 

“She’s good, Sweet Pea. Now, we’ve got to get going to go see Aunt Nat.” 

“Yay!” 

“Hey Princess,” Nat greets Hope, who grins up at her. 

“Hi! Do you want to see my ballet?” Nat’s eyes light up. 

“I’d love to!” 

After Nat leads Hope away, Steve and Emma take out the party stuff, including a cake, steamers, a few balloons, and three wrapped presents, one from Mama and Daddy, one from Aunt Nat, and one from Baby. When Hope is lead back into the room twenty minutes later, she gasps and lights up like a Christmas tree. “ _ Thank You! _ ”

Emma and Steve got her a new Ballerina Barbie, Nat got her new ballet shoes and hair accessories, and Baby got her a shirt that said, ‘I Love My Little Sister!’ with a little onesie for Baby that says, ‘I Love My Big Sister!’ Emma sits and helps her daughter not get her frosting all over herself and her shirt while Steve and Nat wander off to talk about Adult Things (AKA Avenger Business) and Hope babbles about how her new Barbie will be the little sister of Superhero Barbie, and they’ll solve crimes together like in the movie! 

“Emma,” comes Steve’s voice from down the hallway, and the redhead looks up to see Steve walk in, his face drawn. “We- have a situation.” 

The situation is the fact that Scott Lang, who everyone thought was dust, is actually alive, and has apparently been stuck in the quantum realm. “For five years?” 

“More like five hours.” 

And that’s where things turn- hopeful. 

“Wanna go see Uncle Tony?” Emma asks her daughter, who is suddenly shy in front of the strange man. She nods, tucking her head into her mother’s tummy before her daddy picks her up, then she tucks her face into his neck. Emma turns and smiles at Scott, who’s gaping at the image that the Rogers family makes. “Sorry, she’s a little shy in front of strangers.” 

“That’s- That’s fine. Uh- You and Cap are-?”

“Married,” Steve finishes, pressing a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “And expecting little girl number two.” 

“That’s- adorable.” 

They arrive at the Stark House later that day, and Tony’s eyes light up when he sees his daughter. “Hey, Em. Haven’t seen you in a while.” He crouches down in front of Hope, who’s holding her mother’s hand and smiling shyly at Tony. “Hey munchkin, Morgan’s inside and I bet she’d love to play with you.” 

“Really?” Hope asks excitedly, and looks to her mother with wide, pleading brown eyes. Emma smiles and nods her head, and Hope heads running off to the house. 

“It’s good to see you. You’re glowing,” Tony says sincerely, and Emma smile softly at the man, her eyes gleaming. 

“Thanks, Tony. I’m gonna head inside while you guys talk, my feet are already aching.” 

One of her hands falls over her locket as she walks inside, seeming distracted and distant to everyone that knows her. Tony watches her go, before looking to Cap with sad eyes. 

“What’s this about?” 

Later, they’re sitting on the porch. 

“I- I can’t risk it,” Tony says quietly. Steve looks at him with deep understanding. 

“Tony, you don’t think I’d ever ask you to risk something we both know we can’t lose. But…” Steve swallows and looks to the house, his voice lowering. “Don’t you think it’s worth a look? For them? For everyone we’ve lost and for- For everyone who’s lost.” Tony looks at Steve’s earnest face. “If it changes the present, then… we won’t do it. But, if we could, don’t you think we should try?” ‘For her. For Peter,’ goes unsaid, but Tony sees it in Steve’s eyes, and he looks away to gather himself, weigh the pros and cons briefly. 

“I’ll… look into it. No promises.” 

“That’s all we ask.” 

Emma’s quiet on the ride back to NYC as Hope watches Barbie Movies in the backseat with headphones on. Scott’s in Nat’s car, and they’ll meet them at the house before the Avengers go meet with Bruce. Steve glances at Emma every so often, hating the lost look on her face. He reaches over and holds her hand in his, squeezing it in reassurance. Emma’s lips pinch, and tears build in her eyes before falling down her cheeks. 

“I don’t want to hope,” she says quietly, voice hoarse. “I don’t want to hope, because it hurts so much more than just losing, when you have hope beforehand.” Steve doesn’t know what to say. 

“We’ve got to try. I- I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we have to try.” 

It’s quiet, until- 

“What if I lose you, too?” 

Steve had thought about it, and he knows that it’s one of Emma’s biggest fears, losing the only people she has left. But what can he say? He can’t promise anything, because anything could happen. He could die. He could leave his wife and children behind. 

But then he thinks of all the people he’s met who have lost what he gained. 

He thinks about his dreams. He thinks of those he knows where that was their reality. The reality they had to find a way to live with. Without their reasons for living. 

He understands her anxiety. The fear is nearly choking him. The idea of leaving the love of his life alone makes him feel physically sick. He hates that he’s the cause of her suffering, but at the same time… 

“I have to try.” 

Emma closes her eyes and leans her head against her seat, squeezing his hand hard enough it would hurt a normal man. She doesn’t speak for the rest of the ride, but she never lets go. 

Hope goes to finish watching her movie in the living room with Nat and Scott supervising while Steve leads Emma upstairs to talk. “I don’t know how long it will take us to come up with a solution… I could drive home every night, but I’d just be sleeping here for a few hours and leaving again. But I don’t want to leave you and Hope alone if it’s for a long time. You’re heavily pregnant and-” 

“We can stay with Pepper,” Emma says quietly from her chair, and Steve looks up into her resigned brown eyes. “We’ll stay with Pepper until- until you do what you need to do- whatever can be done.” He moves and kneels in front of his wife, taking her hands in his. 

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to- to do this to you, to us. But if there’s even the smallest chance that we can bring them back- we have to try.” Emma nods, even as she begins to cry. Steve surges forward to pick his wife up and settle her in his lap, holding her securely in his arms. 

“I miss them so much, but I can’t lose you, Steve, I- I can’t.” 

He lifts her chin gently, cupping her face as he begins to kiss her heatedly. “I will do everything I can to come home to you and our beautiful family. I promise.” She looks at him for a long moment before nodding, knowing she can’t ask for more. 

“I love you.” 

“I love you, too, Doll. So much.” 


	9. Chapter 9

Falling back into the role of Captain America was easy. 

Getting the Avengers together was easy. 

Solving time travel was, apparently, easy. 

Picking times to steal the stones was also, apparently, easy. 

Saying goodbye before the mission- is the hardest thing he’s ever done. 

“Hi Daddy!” his daughter’s voice makes a smile automatically light up Steve’s face. He struggles to hold it together when a part of him whispers, ‘Whatever it takes,’ when whatever it takes could mean never watching his daughter grow up. Never meeting his littlest. Never holding his family again in his arms that suddenly felt so very empty. 

“Hey sweetheart, how are you? Are you having fun with Mama, Aunt Pepper, and Morgan?” 

“Ya!” The little girl giggles cutely, “I know a secret,” she tells her dad, her voice a loud whisper. Steve matches her. 

“Yeah? Do you want to tell me?” 

“One second!  _ Mama _ ! Can I tell Daddy the secret?” He here’s a faint reply, but it must be ‘Yes’ because Hope cheers. “Okay, I can tell you… Mama picked a name for Baby!” Steve feels his heart stutter in his chest. For their first daughter, Steve had chosen the first name, and Emma the middle. This time around, Emma would choose the first, and Steve would choose the middle. They’d been holding off on naming her, because they wanted to meet her first, but with such a dyer situation at hand, he supposes it makes sense she’d want him to know their daughter’s name, so he could hold all three of them against his heart while he did  _ Whatever It Takes.  _

“Really? What is it?” 

“Ser-in-it-ee!  _ Serenity _ ! S-E- uh- R-E-N-I-T-Y!” Hope squeals. Steve’s heart jumps. Serenity. Serenity Rogers. Sera, for short. Like his mother’s name. “Do you like it?” Hope asks, and Steve swallows against his tight throat, not even trying to stop the tears building in his eyes.  _ Serenity _ . 

“It’s beautiful,” Steve says, voice only slightly choked. He glances up as Natasha stands in the doorway, giving him a sad look he knew meant he didn’t have much more time. “I love you, Hope, y’know that?” Hope giggles. 

“I know Daddy. You tell me all the time!” Steve smiles. “I love you, too! I was just kidding with the ‘oodles!” He chuckles wetly. 

“I know you were, sweetheart. Can I talk to your Mama, please?” 

“Ya! One second!” There’s commotion, and he holds his breath until he hears her voice. 

“Hi Steve,” the love of his life says, and he hears her walk away from Hope. 

“So, Serenity?” He can’t help but ask. “I thought we were waiting?” 

“Well, y’know,” she says, clearing her throat, and he can imagine her blinking away her tears as she tries to stay strong. All he wants in that moment is to hold her. “I thought- I thought you should know… Do you like it? I thought we could do Sera for short.” 

“I love it,” he says honestly. “I love her so much already. Serenity Rogers,” his voice holds such reverence. “I love you, Emma.” He hears her sniff. 

“I love you, too, Steve.” 

It’s quiet for a long moment, neither one of them wanting to say goodbye. 

“Steve,” Nat’s voice comes from the doorway, and he looks up at her, and he holds back a sigh. 

“I’ve got to go, Doll. I’ll call you as soon as I can.” 

“Alright. Be careful, please. I- I need you to come home safe, okay? For me, for Hope, and for Sera.” He swallows. 

“I’ll do everything in my power to come home to you,” he promises all he can. She lets out a long, shaky breath. 

“Alright. Okay. Goodbye, Steve. I love you.” 

“Goodbye, Em. I love you, too.” He hangs up before he can hesitate, and looks up at Nat, who’s watching him with wet eyes. “Whatever it takes,” he says, and Nat nods. 

“Whatever it takes.” 

Seeing himself from 2012 is a trip, mostly because they look almost the same, but both are completely different on the inside. And that 2012!Steve just met the love of his life today, and the poor bastard doesn’t even know it. 

Peggy is… wonderful to see in her element. She’s moved on. God knows that Steve has, too. They both got the life they wanted, in the end. Steve’s still not sure he deserves it, but he’s thankful. His first love prepared him to treasure his second, because you… You never know. 

Nat is gone. 

They take a knee. 

They’re back, he made it, he’ll see his wife, and watch his children grow up, and they’ll get their family back, but not without losing yet another member. Another of one of his best friends is… gone. 

‘ _ Whatever it takes _ .’ 

She did it for them. 

When they get to their feet, Steve excuses himself to call his wife, while Tony does the same. “Steve?” Emma’s voice is heaven. It’s respite. 

“Nat didn’t make it,” he says. “We- We got the stones, but Nat didn’t make it.” He hears Emma’s breath hitch in her chest. “Serenity Natasha Rogers,” he intones meaningfully. “She did it for us, she sacrificed herself for them, and she- she should be apart of her life, even if she’s not there to witness it.” 

“That’s- That’s beautiful,” she whispers. “Serenity Natasha, it’s- it’s perf- It’s- It’s-” She breaks off into sobs, and Steve’s face crumples as he’s overwhelmed with grief. He holds his phone to his ear and a hand over his mouth as he cries silently, finding comfort in their shared grief. 

Natasha would be remembered. 

Her legacy would never be forgotten. 

A little while later, they pull themselves together, and Emma speaks, voice determined, “I- I’ll help plan the funeral. When- When this is all over, everyone- They’ll know what she did for them. For us.” 

“Thank you, Doll,” he sighs, wiping his face. “I should go. I love you.” 

“I love you, too. Be careful, please. Sera, Hope, and I are waiting for you.” He smiles slightly. 

“And I can’t wait to see you all.” Tony’s in the doorway, and Steve nods. “I’ve got to go, Doll. Stay at the Lake House, okay? Things might get chaotic.” 

“We’ll stay here, as long as you stay safe. Got it, Captain?” Said Captain nods. 

“Of course I’ll stay safe, I’m Captain  _ Goddamn _ America,” he teases, and Emma laughs. The sound eases something in his chest, and renewed determination fills his heart. “I love you.” 

“I love you, too. Bye, and good luck!” 

“Thanks, we’ll need it.” She hangs up, and Steve stands, pulling all his wayward emotions under the mask of the Captain. He sees the others out on the dock, and begins to make his way down. Right now, they need a leader.

And with Nat gone, he’ll… 

He’ll step back into shoes that will never again fit just right. 

It all happens so quickly. 

One moment, they’re celebrating the return of half the universe- the next, they’re fighting for the right to keep them, to keep everything. 

Steve’s prepared to stand alone against an army, because he has so much to lose if he doesn’t. He could get knocked down a hundred more times, but he won’t stop getting up until he’s dead. He holds the names of his family in his heart- His reasons for fighting, going through his head on repeat. 

_ ‘Emma, Hope, Sera, Nat, Emma Hope Sera Nat EmmaHopeSeraNat-’ _

Then he hears it. “ _ Steve _ -” Is that- Is that Sam? “ _ On your left _ .” 

When he sees Spider-Man’s face, exactly the same as the pictures in their home, it begins to sink in. They can do this. They Can Do This. They Can Win. And then-

_ They can go home.  _

But first… 

“ **Avengers… ** ** _Assemble_ ** .” 

The fighting is intense, but  _ God _ \- He’s never felt so determined to win. For once in his life, he’s got too much to lose. Everything is on the line, and  _ They Can Win _ . He knows it. He feels it thrumming in his blood like the lightning he’s called down with Mjornir. He cuts an alien’s throat with his broken shield, and Emma comes to his mind with a vengeance, the way her eyes flashed dangerously, the way her hair flows in the wind, the way she smiles, the way she loves him and the way she cries and the way he couldn’t imagine a life without her- 

He couldn’t imagine a world without her, just like she couldn’t imagine one without him. 

And- And she just might never have to. 

Tony snaps. 

The enemies turn to black ashes, but all eyes are on Tony as Dr. Strange rushes to use magic to stabilize him. Steve gently pulls Peter away from the scene as Dr. Strange opens a portal and says, “Don’t worry. He’ll live.” Then he, Rhodey, and Pepper disappear with him. 

The other magic users create portals to get people home, and when they ask for those going to NYC, Steve holds Peter back, and the kid flinches but calms when he sees it’s Steve. “Emma’s not there. We’ll pick up May, she’ll probably be at your old apartment, and then I’ll bring you both straight to her, alright, Queens?” Peter stares at him with wide eyes. 

“Wh- Emma didn’t…?” Steve shakes his head slowly. “She… She was alone for  _ f-five years _ ?” Peter is clearly devastated. 

“She was never alone,” the Captain squeezes the teenager’s shoulder, “I never left her side.” Peter relaxes slightly, but he’s still rightfully broken up as he goes to a magic user to take him to his apartment, where May is clearly panicking as she walks onto the nearly empty battlefield. 

“Peter? What the hell is going on?” she asks, and Steve’s happy to see that fire that Emma talked so much about is there. 

“Uh- So, half the universe was dusted, and we’ve been dead for five years, but they brought us back, so-” 

“Where’s Emma? Why wasn’t- Oh no.” Peter’s expression said it all. Regret. Pain. Grief. “Is she-?” 

“She fine, Mrs. Parker,” Steve says as he walks up to her, definitely a bit worse for wear. “It’s just been a moment for you, but five years for her. There’s- There’s a lot to catch up on. I can take you to her, they’re preparing a Quinjet now, so that way the Magic Users can go home.” She nods, looking at him with wide eyes behind her glasses, before taking in the devastation around them. 

“Steve!” calls a familiar voice from behind the trio, and Steve grins as he turns to see his two best friends approaching him, and he embraces them both in a tight hug. 

“Fuck, it’s good to see you guys! There’s so much to tell you!” 

“Yeah, is that a ring on your finger, mister?” Sam asks, and Steve looks down to the ring. It’s vibranium, a gift from Tony’s small supply. “Who’s the lucky girl?” Steve glances over at Peter, who’s squinting at him, before his eyes widen. 

“No way! May!” May looks to her nephew, who’s practically vibrating with joy. “She did it! She married Captain  _ Goddamn _ America!” May’s eyes widen and she looks to a sheepish Steve. 

“Really?” He nods, and May smiles. “Wow.” Her eyes are wet. “My little girl is married. When did that happen?”

“June, 2019, About a year and a half after the Snap,” Steve says, grinning at the reminder of his wife and beautiful children. “She told me she was pregnant at our reception,” he says, not really thinking about it. 

“I’m an  _ UNCLE _ ?!” Peter gasps. 

“Almost two times over,” Steve says, trying not to be too smug about it. Sam laughs and nudges him. 

“ _ My man _ . When did you meet her? Why haven’t I heard of her before? Wait, is it-” 

“It’s the same girl who broke my heart right before Ultron,” Steve nods, “We reunited after the Snap. Now, we’ve got one beautiful daughter and another on the way.” 

“When can I see my little girl and meet my grandbabies?” May asks. Steve looks around and sees that the quinjet is started up and waiting. He leads them over there as he speaks. 

“Well, it’s a bit of a trip to Tony’s, but I’d say in about twenty minutes.” 

“So… she’s okay?” Peter asks. Steve’s voice softens to match his tone. 

“She’s… happy. But she never stopped missing you. She still visits the Parker Plot in Queens every Thursday to talk to you guys.” Peter closes his eyes, looking pained, and Steve knows the feeling. You never want to see those you love in pain, but unfortunately, it still happens. Steve feels it every time he sees his wife or daughter cry, he wants to cry with them and simultaneously fight the world for hurting them. 

“ _ Captain Rogers _ ,” FRIDAY’s voice comes from the speakers, “ _ Mrs. Rogers is asking for confirmation that you aren’t injured. She also says if you don’t have all your limbs, you may be at risk of losing your status as ‘Trophy Husband of the Year. _ ’” Steve rolls his eyes fondly. 

“Tell her we’re fine, and that we’re coming back with Sam, Bucky, May, and Peter. Also tell her that even if I did lose a limb, I’d still be Trophy Husband of the year, and she knows it.” 

“ _ I will pass along the message _ .” 

“Trophy Husband?” Sam and Bucky ask at the same time with great amusement. 

“I prefer ‘Stay at Home Dad,’ but I’ve learned to choose my battles.” Bucky snorts. 

“Yeah right. I’ll believe that when I see it.” 

Steve shrugs. “You’d learn quick too if you had such a beautiful lady as a wife.” 

“You mean you let her tease you so you don’t end up on the couch?” Sam asks, amused. 

“Pretty much.” 


	10. Chapter 10

As he watches his brother-in-law across the quinjet, May’s hand in his, Peter feels a contradicting mix of sadness and relief.

He’s sad that he missed so many moments of his sister’s life. She got married, she became a mother, she grew up. 

But he also feels relief knowing he won’t be missing anymore of it. He refuses to. 

Peter’s sad that his sister’s worst nightmare came to life and she was left behind once again by the people she loves most. Truly, it devastates him, the idea of how much suffering his sister went through these last five years. 

But still, he feels relief that she wasn’t ever truly alone. Steve was there with her every step of the way. She was able to move on in her own way… 

Though to still visit them every Thursday… Peter pinches his lips. 

Is it bad he feels relief that he was still a part of her life while he was gone? That she didn’t just cut her losses and run, and instead, brought them along with her everywhere her future lead? 

Was it selfish, or was it only natural? 

Even as they land, Peter’s not sure. 

It felt like a dream. 

Hope and Morgan are in bed, tucked in tight and secure, sleeping soundly, and Emma sits in the living room, resisting the urge to go and check on the girls one more time, or to attempt to call her husband, just to hear his voice. 

She still couldn’t wrap her head around it all. 

One, Tony- her father… He could have died today, and Emma would be forced to survive another debilitating loss. But he was alive. He would recover. And Emma would hear his voice say her name, and she’d be able to hug him and cry and beg him to forgive her for keeping him at a distance these last five years, and she could tell him that, ‘ _ I love you, Dad. I love you, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry _ .’ 

The second thing that just wasn’t sinking in, was the fact that… May and Peter were- 

_ They’re alive! _

Her brother, her aunt, her husband’s two best friends, they were coming here, coming home. Coming home to a place that has changed. That slowly, torturously moved on without them. Emma sits, looking through photo albums on her tablet instead of going through her urgent emails, and she watches herself age and change and live- do it all without them by her side. 

“Emma?” calls her husband from the front door, and Emma looks up and looks at the group standing there with wide eyes. Her husband is a bit worse for wear, so are Bucky and Sam and- 

“Peter,” she whispers, and places her tablet to the side as her brother-  _ Peter! _ \- stares at her with shock, May just a step behind him. She stands slowly, and Peter strides forward to hug her as tight as he dares, carefully around her protruding stomach. He holds her tightly as she cries, before she pulls back to cup his face. “You’re- You’re the same,” the redhead says with disbelief. “And you’re still taller than I remember.” 

Peter smiles as he takes in his older sister, who gazes at him for a long moment, before looking past him to May, who’s staring with wet eyes. Emma opens her free arm to her, and Peter does the same, and May runs forward to embrace both of them tightly. 

Vaguely Emma hears Steve offer Sam and Bucky one of the guest rooms of the Lake House to sleep in, pointing them towards the shower and the kitchen, before Steve sneaks off to check in on Hope, sleeping on the trundle bed in Morgan’s room. He smiles to himself before going to shower himself, then heads back to the front living room to find May sitting on the couch beside Emma, looking through photos on her tablet, while Peter dozes with his head in her lap, the redhead playing idly with his hair. 

It’s the first time that Steve’s ever seen what was left of the Parker family together, and he suddenly has to fight off the wave of emotion that threatens to drown him at the thought of being apart of this. Of having a family again. A big family, all there to support his wife and his daughters and any other children they have one day if something were to happen to him. 

She wouldn’t be alone. 

If Steve had it his way, she’d never suffer again. 

“I should thank you,” Steve says to Peter the next morning, and the teenager looks up from finishing his third helping of breakfast. 

“What? Why?” 

“You gave your standing approval of me to Emma, and if definitely made proposing a lot easier. She’d been struggling with moving on without her family there to witness it, but I think your words helped ease her into accepting happiness as things changed, because it was almost like you had predicted that her and I were meant to find each other again.” 

“Oh.” Peter looks over to his sister sitting across the room at the breakfast table with May, showing her more pictures on her tablet. “I should thank you, Captain,” Peter murmurs, staring at his sister, who is glowing with joy and love and the sort of maturity that comes with motherhood, before looking to Steve. “You- You gave her a life to live for. You held her hand through all of the highs and lows, and I can never repay you.” 

Steve stares at his solemn brother-in-law, before he nods his head decisively. “I’d say we’re even.” Peter’s lips quirk into a tired smile. 

“Sure.” 

May gazes at her niece, something soft and bittersweet blooming in her chest. Emma… She’s just so beautiful. 

Her dark red curls, which she had kept tamed at just above shoulder length, fell nearly to the small of her back. Her face no longer held that last inkling of baby fat, the softness replaced with the familiar sharp features Mary had, the features Peter would surely have all too soon. Twenty-seven, turning twenty-eight in just a few more months. 

“You’re all grown up,” May finds herself saying, voice soft but slightly pained. The older woman knew that it was only a matter of time before Emma wasn’t exactly the same little girl Richard had claimed as her own, that Ben had adored more than anything, and that Mary put above all else. She was different, but the same. She was everything she was and everything she now is, and May doesn’t know how to describe the gaping feeling in her chest- because she missed all of it. 

Emma smiles sadly at May. “Sometimes I can’t believe it, either.” She looks back down to the first family photo the Rogers had taken with their newborn, Hope. “It felt like the world ended when Tony came back without Peter… I’d just seen my aunt turn to dust, and I had held out hope I wasn’t the last Parker standing… but I was.

“For so long, I just went through the motions of work and school, not really living- then Morgan was born, and I saw a bit of my future in her, and it hurt, knowing you wouldn’t be there to see it. When Steve proposed, I almost hesitated… The world, it kept on turning, and I didn’t feel ready, but I knew I had to be, but I couldn’t imagine how. Then he got down on one knee before your graves, in front of all the people I love so much… 

“And I knew he was the one that would help me learn how. 

“Then, suddenly, I was getting married, and I found out I was pregnant with Hope… And I moved on, even as a part of me… didn’t.” May’s eyes shine as she squeezes Emma’s hand. “But I wasn’t alone,” Emma shares a smile with Steve across the room, before she clears her throat lightly. “I had Steve, and Tony was there, even if I- I-” 

Tears stream down her cheeks, but she doesn’t seem to notice them. “I couldn’t- I couldn’t let him in. I couldn’t lose another parent. Another piece of me. And now… Now I realize how- how much time I wasted, being afraid.” 

“Emma,” May’s voice was stern, and Emma looks to her, “You’re the strongest woman I know, but everyone reaches their limit eventually. Your’s was losing- losing us. Don’t blame yourself, baby.” Emma chokes on a sob at the familiar term of endearment, and Steve’s head shoots up. 

“Doll?” 

The redhead waves him away as she grabs a tissue. “Hormones, I’m- I’m fine.” Steve doesn’t look like he believes her, because he doesn’t, but still, he nods and turns back to Peter, keeping an ear out for his wife’s distress. Emma gathers herself and looks to May. “I missed you  _ so much _ .” 

There’s so much that can be heard in that one confession, and May understands completely, opening her arms to embrace her niece, who will always be her little girl. Her baby. “I’m here,” May assures her. 

Emma squeezes her tightly, and whispers, like an affirmation: “ _ You’re here _ .” 

Predictably, it takes until half way through her breakfast for Hope to realize that there are more adults watching her in amusement than usual. She looks up from her oatmeal and squints at Bucky, Sam, Peter, and May. “ _ Waitasecond _ !” She exclaims, squinting hard at Peter, who’s fighting a grin. “I know you! You’re  _ Uncle Peter _ ! And you’re  _ Nana May _ ! You’re  _ Uncle Bucky _ ! And you’re  _ Uncle Sam _ !” She squeals and scrambles down from her chair to crawl into her father’s lap, who looks down at her accusing brown eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me they were coming home?!” 

The adults laugh as Steve smiles fondly down at his daughter, brushing her blonde hair behind her ear. “Because it’s a birthday surprise. You only turn three once, right?” Hope nods, grinning. 

“Right!” She turns to the other adults, before suddenly getting shy and ducking her head into Steve’s chest, who kisses her head adoringly. Sometimes Hope got overwhelmed with big groups of people. Especially people she wasn’t familiar with. 

“She gets shy,” he explains, and Bucky chuckles. 

“If she’s anything like you, she’ll grow out of it. I remember when Stevie couldn’t speak to a dame without stuttering, and now look, he’s married to one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen! I don’t know how you did it.” Steve shakes his head at Bucky’s outrage. 

“Just because I got her doesn’t mean I know how I did it. Dumb luck, probably,” he says, rubbing his daughter’s back as she calms, peaking out to look curiously at the metal hand Bucky gestures with. Emma walks into the dining room. 

“What’s dumb luck?” 

“How I got you as a wife.” Emma rolls her eyes. 

“If you had told me at seventeen that I’d get married to Captain Goshdarn America, I’d have called you insane. Consider us even.” She leans down and kisses him on the lips, smirking slightly. “Now you’ve got your dream girl, and I have my dream Trophy Husband.” Sam snorts into his coffee, and Steve pouts. She leans down to kiss him again, and he can’t help smiling as she pulls away to sit down. 

“Things have a way of working out, don’t they?” 

Emma can admit that she put off visiting Tony as long as she could, mostly because she was scared of the sight that would great her. But when he comes out of his medically induced coma and he asks for her, she goes. Because she’s missed him. 

When Tony sees her, he lights up, even tired as he clearly is. Rhodey excuses himself and Emma takes his seat, rubbing over pregnant belly, now six months pregnant. “Hey,” he says, voice a bit hoarse, but still so incredibly fond. 

“Hey Dad,” she murmurs, reaching out to take the only hand he has left (for now). “How’re you doing?” 

“Better now that you’re here. Peter and Cap came yesterday, they said you had an appointment with-”

“I’m sorry,” Emma blurts, and Tony flinches at Peter’s last words, a visceral slap to the face, before forcing himself to relax. Her brown eyes shine, her grip on his hand tight. “I’m sorry,” she repeats. “I’ve wasted so much time-”

“Don’t,” Tony says, voice stern. “Don’t be sorry. I won’t say it didn’t hurt, but… You’ve been my daughter since I saw you walk into that conference room six years ago, even if you weren’t ready for me to be your father then. You’ve always been my daughter, and no matter what, I’ll always love you.” Emma sniffs. 

“I just didn’t- I didn’t want to lose you, too. But then you snapped, and I realized that I’d regret it for the rest of my life if you never knew that I- I love you, too, Dad. So much.” 

“I know,” he says simply, and Emma looks up, confused. “I know you love me, Em. I see it in your eyes, in your smile. You exude love, and everyone around you can feel it. Your mom was the same way.” Emma smiles as she wipes her eyes with a tissue from his bedside. “Now, I need a new arm and I could use a hand-” Emma snorts. 

“Really? A pun?” 

“What? Things were getting heavy! If you started sobbing, Captain Overprotective and Hover-Man will descend and take my other arm.” Emma’s giggling, and Tony’s looking at her with adoration shining in his eyes. “What do you say? Wanna help your old man?” 

Emma smirks, and by God, she looks just like Tony as she says, “Will I be getting paid for this father-daughter bonding activity?” 

“With solid quality time.” Emma pretends to sigh with disappointment. 

“I guess that’ll do.” They smile at each other, before Tony’s expression turns stern. 

“But no lab time until you’re off maternity leave.” Que an actual sigh of disappointment. “I can live without an arm for a few more months. When you’re back to work, I’ll be taking my intern back as my partner in crime.” Emma smiles. 

“What about that other intern?” 

“Oh, he’s never leaving my sight again. He’ll be there.” 

“Good.” 

“Oh… wow,” Peter murmurs as he gazes down at the newborn in his arms. “She’s… She’s  _ amazing _ ,” he says with reverence, and in the quiet hospital room, a dozing Emma smiles fondly as she looks at her brother holding their newest edition, May leaning over to coo at Serenity. Hope is cuddled up with Uncle Bucky on the couch across the room, both sound asleep after an eventful few hours. 

It’s the very early hours of the morning, and an odd sort of peace has settled over the hospital room. 

A nurse opens the door and Emma’s father cruises sedately in on his electric wheel chair, because technically he should be on bed rest, but he wasn’t missing his grandbaby’s birthday. The brunet rolls up to his daughter’s bedside, where she’s cuddled up to her husband. “How are you, Mama? Sorry I’m late.” 

Emma’s smile is interrupted by a yawn. “Tired,” she admits, and Steve presses a kiss to her forehead. 

“Yeah, working miracles will do that to you,” Tony smirks. Emma rolls her eyes. “What? I have seen someone give birth, y’know. And I’ve got the PTSD to show for it. This hospital is giving me anxiety. My hand was never the same after Pepper held it giving birth to Morgan, but thankfully I could still snap.” 

Tony jokes about serious things because he’s Tony Stark, but he’s also a Dad, so his jokes are only more powerful. And awful. 

“You got jokes, Dad?” Emma teases, still a little out of from the epidural. 

“Oh you know it, Honey. Now, I need to see my newest granddaughter.” He turns himself around and rolls up to Peter, who barely glances up at him. 

“Hey Dad,” he greets in a whisper. 

“Hey Kid. Let me hold Serenity.” 

Serenity, Tony found, was the perfect name for this baby girl with soft ginger hair and wide blue eyes, peaceful like the ocean. Then she opens her mouth and wails, loudly, and the peace is broken once again. 

Four years later, Chance Emerson Rogers is born one chilly September day, the spitting image of his mother. He’s a lot quieter than Serenity was as a baby, Tony notes as the little boy looks up at him with his own big brown eyes, many other Aunts and Uncles cooing over the billionaire’s shoulder at the wide eyed baby boy. 

Emma really wants to sleep, but even more people were crowded around than when Serenity was born, and her hospital room has turned into a bit of a family reunion. The exhausted redhead loves every single person who’s been loitering in the hallway as she screamed a lot of ‘No-No Words,’ and it’s a little overwhelming, how much she feels for every single person surrounding her. 

Steve presses a kiss to Emma’s sweaty forehead, and she smiles as she snuggles into his side. 

In the end, Emma finds herself with many more priorities, all who like to stress her out, but also all who make every ounce of suffering so unbelievably worth it. Because in the end…

Life Works Out. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment and tell me what you think! :-)


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